Pokemon Ranger Crossover Collection
by Riley Sky
Summary: Laughter, tears and surprises around every corner with crossovers & original one-shots galore! Each chapter brings something different! Will you recognize a show you love? Maybe enjoy a new story unseen before? Read and find out!
1. Recess

**CUE THE EPIC THEME SONG!**

**Chia: There isn't a theme song, doofus.**

**Right. *sweatdrop* Heya readers! To the new guys, nice to meet ya! And to my loyal readers *points to neon sign that says welcome and the fireworks above it* I set that up myself.**

**Chia: *sniff* Is something burning?**

**Huh? OH DEAR ARCEUS THE CURTAINS! *runs***

**Chia: Right. I'm Chia the pachirisu and Sky here is the weird author who writes these stories!...and sets fire to curtains apparently. Welcome to a special edition of the Pokemon Ranger Shadows of Almia fanfic!**

***returns* Why's it special? See, I have a lot of ideas. And I want to write them all! But face it. I can't write them all. Not when there's other ideas/priorities/limited time/etc going on. So I decided on this little project!**

**Chia: Sky here will write crossovers of various tv-shows, movie scenes, cartoons and random stuff. BUT! They will only be one-shots! And each chapter is totally different!**

**Also the crossover choices themselves will be based on my own preferences. Like this first chapter is based after an old cartoon I loved watching as a little kid; Recess.**

**Chia: Bunch of kids creating anarchy on a playground? Oh I can totally see this at ranger school…**

**Heck yeah! My thought exactly! So dear readers, I hope you read, review and enjoy!**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Recess: Cast of characters

_Gus- Kate_

_TJ- Keith_

_Ashley Spinelli- Wendy_

_Vince- Sven_

_Mikey- Murph_

_Gretchen- Issac_

_Minor characters: Ms. Gotke (Ms. April) and Principal Prickey (Principal Lamont)_

_There are numerous other characters as well who will be played by the pokemon ranger casts. _

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

A lovely fall day in Ms. April's classroom within the prestigious school for rangers. The entire class was learning about pokemon food and proper nutritional value. Groups were split up so they could focus on what type of pokefood they wanted to make.

"This is so boring…"

Wendy moaned impatiently from her spot at the table.

"I hear ya." Sven sighed.

"What's this got to do with ranger'ing anyways?" Wendy questioned.

"You weren't listening?" Issac asked, stirring the boiling pot. "We learn about this so we can properly energize the partner pokemon as well as heal the sick pokemon or coax them from dangerous situations. This experience will benefit us all in the future."

"Yeah." Murph said in between chewing something. "Dis is fa weally good lesshun!" _(translation: This is a really good lesson)_

Issac skimmed the paper for directions. "Let's see, add the contents of the green cup with the…hey where'd the green cup go?"

"Huh?" Sven scanned the desktop. "It was here a second ago."

….

"Murph?"

"….yeah?"

"What are you eating?"

….

"Mystery solved." Wendy sighed. "You know you shouldn't be eating that, idiot."

"Sorry!" Murph sweatdropped.

"Guys!"

Along came the last member of the group; Keith. As usual, he wore his mischievous grin and his eyes shined bright with ideas.

"You remember the plan?" Keith whispered.

"We're with ya." Sven said as Wendy & Murph nodded.

Issac stopped what he was doing to track down the teacher, Ms. April. She was helping students in another portion of the room.

"Ms. April! Ms. April!"

The blond genius ran up to her, carefully avoiding the other students hard at work.

"Oh? Issac?" Ms. April said. "Is there a problem with the assignment?"

"No, no! It's quite fascinating actually! I understand the process of heat and the ratio of liquid to solid. But I'm more interested in the effects of potential calcium and the total amounts of carbohydrates!" Issac quickly, and excitedly, told her.

"I, uh…well um…" Ms. April was confused by the vocabulary.

"Or perhaps what could happen if we…"

And thus the rambling of the genius began. That was the cue to begin the next stage. Keith gave a head nod to Sven who nodded in return. Sven dashed over to the teacher's desk with ninja-like precision. He searched through multiple drawers before finding the item; a small gold key. Sven tossed it over to Wendy, on the opposite side of the room. Wendy and Murph snuck out of the classroom, into the school halls.

"See anyone?" Murph whispered.

Wendy searched. "Nothing. We're all clear."

They ran ahead into the center of the hallway where the clock was located. This clock was special. See, ranger school had designed this clock so that it synchronized with all the other clocks in the building. Mostly built so it could combat daylight savings time. But today, it'd be a part of Keith's brilliant plan.

Murph kept a lookout while Wendy, the somehow taller of the two, climbed on a nearby chair and up to the clock. She used the key to open the glass casing the clock was in. Nice! Now all that was left to do was adjust the hands on the clock…

"Uh oh! Mr. Kincaid's coming!" Murph warned (quietly)

"Gimme a sec, will ya?" Wendy hissed.

She carefully pushed the hands on the clock forward. They went about an hour and ten minutes head of time. True there was an exact time that the students wanted specifically to happen. But in order for the plan to work, Wendy had to make sure she set the clock a bit early. That way, no one would be busted.

"Are you almost done?" Keith asked, poking his head around the corner.

"Get back!" Murph yell-whispered. "Kincaid alert!"

"Uh oh!" Keith gulped. "Wendy, hurry it up!"

"Oh gee, I think I'll just take my time!" Wendy sarcastically responded, panicking slightly as Kincaid's approach was near.

There we go! Clock set! Wendy shut the case and locked it tight. She ran alongside the boys back into class. Whew! Made it! Not busted by Kincaid and Ms. April was still distracted. And the clock by Ms. April told the friends that their plan went well! The other classmates, who already knew about this prior, put on their 'well-behaved' faces and took their spot at the tables.

RIIINNNNGGGGG!

"What the…?" Ms. April gasped, staring at the time. "H-how? Recess already? Sigh…maybe I need more coffee. Class dismissed for recess."

"YAAAAY!"

A round of cheers, followed by a stampede of kids running for the door. But they were stopped by Principal Lamont. Instantly, the students stepped back.

"Oh Principal Lamont! What brings you here?" Ms. April cheerfully asked.

"I'm here to bring you a new student." He answered. "You didn't get my email?"

Ms. April paused a moment. "Oh yes! That's right! I thought it was for tomorrow! Very well then. Who's our late addition?"

Lamont stepped back. Behind him was a girl with light brown hairs in two spiky pigtails. Her eyes were big and blue, looking a little out of place. Whispers broke out among the class. Keith, though, was unusually silent.

"Keith? What's with the big grin?" Ms. April asked.

Keith shrugged and continued staring at the girl.

"Anyways, this is Katalina Gustav." Principal Lamont introduced. "Her paperwork was misfiled so it's the reason she's a little behind coming here. But her ranger score was high so I have big hopes for this student."

"Um…I prefer to be called Kate…" The girl, Katalina, murmured shyly.

"Well then, Kate. Welcome to class!" Ms. April warmly accepted. "It'll be wonderful having you as…"

"Ms. April?" A student, Summer, interrupted. "Can we go to recess now?"

"Hm? Oh sure." Ms. April replied.

"YAAAAAYYYY!"

Another rush of kids and a stampede. An entire class was gone; outside to the ranger grounds. Kate (who nearly was run over) dizzily huddled by the door.

"Isn't it early for recess?" Kate asked. "It's only…"

"HEY KATE!" Keith suddenly shouted, rubbing her head. "Why don't I show you around?"

Without waiting, the redhead dragged Kate and ran through the hallways to the outside school grounds. The teacher and principal still remained back in class.

"Hey my watch is an hour behind!"

"Odd. Mine too."

"You don't suppose…?"

"…nah. How smart can those kids be?"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The outside grounds of ranger school. Everywhere you went, there was some form of activity going on. All sorts of groups, clichés, friends…whatever, doing something. It was just another school day. Keith took Kate through to explain these people. One by one, his friends joined to hear the explanation and catch a look at the new student.

"Ok so over there is the hardcore jocks. Heath's not the brightest but he's group leader. Usually harmless but don't tick them off. I wound up being tied into a knot for five hours thanks to that dude."

"Yo Keith!" Sven dragged Keith aside. "We need to talk."

"Hey guys. Can you introduce Kate to the class jokester, Crawford? We'll be there in a sec." Keith said.

The group moved off. Keith laid back against the school wall, joining Sven in their own little discussion.

"So what's on your mind?"

"Dude? Do you know the rules?" Sven questioned. "The 'new kid' rules?"

"Oh geez. Not _this_." Keith groaned. "That Kate girl is pretty harmless. No one has to know about her 'status'! I won't say anything. You won't say anything. Neither will the group. And I doubt the class will. Things are going to be fine."

Sven raised an eyebrow in suspicion but said nothing else. The two guys walked over to join their buddies who started giving Kate the tour.

"See? Over there are the Girls Cliché. Lavana's the leader with Tiffany and Blue Eyes as the followers. Basically they hang out together, do girly stuff and spread gossip like a wildfire. Total snobs."

"That group is the Ground Guys. They love ground type pokemon and are trying to dig a hole like digtrio. I think their names are Ollie and Ponte?"

"Mechanic's corner is right there. They're nice but since they always talk tech, it's impossible to really connect with them. I know those three are Elaine, Vatona and Nage but not sure about the rest."

Kate listened intently to each and every description. She was usually quiet but did ask the occasional question. It was sometime later when she got teary eyed and stopped in her tracks.

"Something wrong?" Keith asked.

"It's just…" A sniffle. "You guys are so nice to me."

"Huh?" The group blinked in surprise.

"I…I…I was never really good at making friends. Nobody really wanted to hang out with me. But you're all so great! And I'm thankful for the time you're spending to show me around." Kate explained.

"Hey that's what friends do." Murph said with a smile.

"And you'll make plenty of friends around here." Wendy patted her shoulder.

"HE'S COMING! THE MASTER IS COMING!"

Gasps around the entire grounds, followed by shocked silence. A pathway was cleared as a group of students started coming in.

"What's going on?" Kate asked, confused.

"Master Ice, that's what." Keith whispered. "He's the ruler of recess. Just don't tell him you-…"

"Hey cherri head. You getting shorter or what?"

The group of kids stopped. From the midst of them came a guy dressed in blue; from the crown on his blue head to the shoes. Only non-blue thing were black shades, which were taken off to look at Kate.

"And who's this noob?"

"This is Kate!" Keith spoke up. "She uh…she's…"

From the crowd, someone shouted. "She's the new kid!"

Keith face palmed in frustration. Ice smirked.

"Really?" He snickered, then faced the crowd. "By Recess Decree, I pronounce this girl to be the new kid! She shall be known as new kid and nothing else!"

There were cheers from some, buzzes of whispers among the rest. News spread like a wildfire. The group of friends looked nervous at this announcement. But Kate was feeling even worse.

"M-maybe it won't be so bad…?"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

WRONG.

How could Kate have known she'd be placed as the school's outcast? That her name, Kate, would be replaced by 'new kid'? She'd never have guessed that no one would be her class partner or sit with her at lunch. As new kid, she was pushed aside constantly. Always picked last for gym class…then never allowed to play for her team. She was prevented from even talking to other adults as other kids provided distractions.

Kate was alone.

True, there were pokemon, but she still felt horrible. Like she committed a terrible crime of sorts. And while she tried to study for her dream as ranger…it was still hard ignoring this. It pained her to live day after day without a single person to call her friend.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"That's it! I'm sick of the rules!"

"Keith! Are you insane?"

Lunch time. The group sat at their usual spots. Keith was in his own spot but watched Kate eat alone for the past few days. Poor kid looked like she was in pain. He hated to see her this way. But as much as he wanted to join her, he was always stopped.

"It's forbidden!" Murph said.

"By Recess Decree, you must not interact with the new kid in any way or you will face severe punishment set by Ice. And you know he dislikes you strongly." Issac warned.

"I don't care!" Keith slammed his fist on the table. "This is wrong! Absolutely wrong! We can't let a kid suffer like this!"

"You had no problem with Lunick." Murph pointed out.

"I barely know the guy. He's in another class." Keith argued.

"Or could it be that our redhaired idiot has a crush on the new kid?" Sven smirked.

"I DO NOT." Keith growled, turning red. "I-I just think this sort of action shouldn't be tolerated anymore."

"A crush on new kid? Tch. That's a total bummer." Wendy sipped her juice. "Besides, she's lookin a little depressed."

"How'd you feel if they took your name from you?" Murph pointed out.

"True." Wendy sighed.

"Rules or no rules, we should help Kate out somehow." Sven said.

Lightbulb went off in Keith's head. "Maybe we can!"

"Oh?" Wendy questioned.

"We'll give Kate her identity back!" Keith told them.

"How do you purpose such an idea?" Issac asked.

"Easy. We'll be the main part of this plan but I can call in a ton of favors people owe. Heck, I know some kids who'll do this just for the sake of helping change these stupid rules! And you know me. I'll come up with something. I did break into the cafeteria after hours before once." Keith explained.

"And you made the escape plan from the detention where you got busted for it." Sven said.

"When we're done, we'll get Kate her identity back!"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Next day, Kate left the girls dorm of the school. The gang was ready, walkie talkies in hand.

"Spikey has left the building, over. Big guy is standing by."

"Redhead standing by."

"Boy Genius standing by."

"Cowboy Awesome standing by."

"Ok we're all set."

….

"What?"

"Say it."

"Sigh. Flight Girl standing by."

"We're all set then."

Kate went down the stairs, soon joined by Murph.

"Morning Kate! Beautiful day! Right, Kate?" He said.

"Huh?" Kate blinked. "I…"

"Kate!" Keith jumped right in. "Did finish your homework last night, Kate? Cause I can help out. That cool, Kate?"

"I…" Kate was in shock. "W-what's going on?"

"Nothing!" Murph and Keith responded with big smiles.

Weird. Kate sweatdropped and continued walking down the stairs. Though she could've sworn that the two guys winked while trying to usher her downstairs faster. Once at the bottom, a bigger surprise was in store. Kids started waving and saying hi. Kate heard her name being used all the time. Posters welcomed her; the name Kate written in big letters. Offers for help on the test, sitting together at lunch, hanging out at recess…they all poured in. Kate had no idea what to make of us.

Outside, though, was the biggest of all shocks. Keith grinned, turning Kate to face the top of the school building. Wendy unfurled a big banner that says 'Welcome to ranger school, Kate!'. Kids started cheering. Balloons lifted up into the air. Kate found that everyone knew who she was and they…they started to accept her. Tears dripped down her face.

"I…I'm touched…" Kate smiled. "I feel so lucky to meet such nice people! You guys are the greatest! T-thank you everyone!""

"Hey if anything, the idea was all redhead's here." Sven pointed to Keith.

Keith's cheeks were a pinkish hue which Kate saw for a split second before he turned away. Kate walked over to face him. Silence for a brief moment.

"So…" Keith sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Ya like all this, Kate?"

"Keith I…"

"MASTER'S COMING!"

More gasps, with frozen silence. A path was cleared; Kate was dragged into the crowd. Clearly no one had thought what would happen should Ice come back. The group of guys walked to the very center of the crowd before stopping. Ice emerged and saw the banner.

"Who did this?" He demanded. "Who put up this banner? And why did I hear a rumor about welcoming the new kid?"

"Stupid jerk…" Keith muttered through his clenched teeth.

Kate looked around. The students were absolutely terrified of this guy. He was ruling them all, stomping them into the ground. And just moments before they were sweet enough to ignore his Recess Decree. They all took Kate in; warm and friendly. Kate gained new allies as well as some new friends. Now she felt it was time to do something about this. With a deep breath, Kate stepped forth.

"Kate! Don't!" Keith tried to object.

The pigtailed girl walked from the crowd (who stared in horror). She stopped directly before Ice and stared at him with defiant eyes. Ice pulled his shades halfway, studying her.

"Get out of the way new kid." He ordered.

"…no."

Gasps. Some faces grew pale.

"No?" Ice raised an eyebrow. "You dare defy me?"

"Yes. And I refuse to be called the new kid. I'm not going to follow your stupid recess decree." Kate told him.

"You think you can talk to me that way, you noob kid?" Ice questioned impatiently.

"Oh yeah? Watch this." Kate frowned. "Before coming here, I was alone. Always alone. MY family moved a lot so people didn't take the chance to know me. Nobody wanted to hang out with the shy girl in the corner. I was depressed for years. And coming here, just when I found happiness, you took it away from me. You stole my name and had everyone think I didn't deserve to live. Those were dark days. I thought that no one cared; that it'd almost be better if I left this school or…or if I just went away altogether…"

The recess grounds were silent. Students seemed regretful of their actions.

"But I found friends." Kate glanced at Keith & the others. "And they care about me. They're bringing me out of my shell and showing me the time of my life. I won't let you take that away from me. Never again will I let this happen. From now on, I'm not the new kid. I have a name. It's Kate!"

Ice looked at her through his shades for the longest of times. A bored expression on his face.

"Your point?" He finally asked.

"I want my name back." Kate said.

Moment to think. "…very well. You get your name back, Kate."

"Really?" Kate was stunned. "T-that easy?"

"Uh yeah. I'm bored. Don't really care one way or the other." Ice shrugged. "Boys, let's go."

Ice and his group of guys moved out. For a little bit, there was silence. And then a burst of cheers. Everyone danced, jumped, celebrated. Kate was no longer a nobody! She had a name; an identity! Not new kid but Kate!

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The school day passed quickly. Night descended upon the school grounds and all was peaceful. Sort of. People were still hyped up over the days events. Kate was congratulated at every opportunity. No time to really catch her breath! Desperate for air, she had to sneak out and go down to the Ascension Square. She looked out at the night sky just above the calm ocean.

"There you are. Wondered where you went off to."

From the stairs came Keith. He walked over and took a seat on the statue, beside Kate.

"Nice out here." He said.

"Yep." Kate agreed.

"So are you alright?" Keith asked. "You know, after what happened and all."

Kate nodded. "Yep! Everyone wants to be friends with me after standing up to Ice like that."

"Well it was pretty brave of you to do it. No one ever has before." Keith said. "Heck, I don't even mess with the dude."

"Really? I thought you were brave to do that sort of thing." Kate responded. "You sort of inspired me to do that…"

"I inspired you?" Keith's eyes were wide.

"Mhm." Kate smiled. "You're brave, strong and an amazing friend. It was thanks to you that helped me out. From day 1 to…er…now. I know we met a few days ago but you're already my closest friend."

Keith's cheeks were turning pink again. "K…Kate…"

"Thank you." Kate whispered, her own face a rosy shade.

The air seemed denser than before. Moonlight shimmered on the students eyes. Slowly, without thinking, they closed the space between them and leaned closer in….

"KEITH JUST KISS HER ALREADY!"

"ACK!"

Keith and Kate whipped their heads to the cliffs. Wendy, Issac and Murph were there snickering. A flash came from the stairs; Sven was holding a camera.

"YOU GUYS!" Keith yelled as he and Kate turned a red hue.

"This'll be great for the school website!" Sven teased.

"GIVE ME THE (bleeeep)ING CAMERA YOU JERK!" Keith shouted, bolting from his spot.

Sven, sensing danger, ran up the stairs with Keith in pursuit. Kate laughed along with the others as the chase continued around the courtyards.

"Hey Sven! Pass it here!"

"Catch!"

"DAMN IT! GIVE ME THAT CAMERA!"

"Yo Murph! Go long!"

"NO DON'T PASS IT!"

"Right here! Issac?"

"W-wha? Wait I'm not athletic!"

"Catch!"

"AHA!"

BAM!

"WOO! Tackle attack by Keith!"

"Where's the camera?"

"AHA! Got it!"

"Yoink! And awesome ranger Sven swipes it back! Now to get to the computer lab!"

"NOOOOOO!"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Chia: Not bad. *claps* **

**Shame I didn't include Randall (would've been Ben) or give Ms. Finster (Kincaid) a bigger role. Oh well. **

**Chia: When's the next update and what will it be?**

**Hard to say actually *shrugs* See, I started this partly due to writers block. So an update could be tomorrow, next week or awhile. Depends on how things go. But hopefully, my lovely readers will stick around for more!**

**Chia: HEY READERS! ****SKY DOES NOT OWN POKEMON OR THE CARTOON RECESS!**

**But I do recommend watching them! At least see the theme song for Recess. Now that's epic.**


	2. Ed Edd n Eddy

**GAH! I hate being sick! Common colds are horrible!**

**Chia: What about writers block?**

**Hate that too! *sniffle***

**Chia: And how about right now when you're suffering from both?**

**I HATE IT SO MUCH!**

**Chia: Well a little crossover writing will do you good. And the readers will be pleased with the latest edition; Ed Edd n Eddy!**

**Ah my childhood favorite. Classic. Every read, review *ACHOO!*…and er, enjoy?**

**Chia: *gags* I'll…urf…get the tissues…**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Ed Edd n Eddy Cast:

_Eddy- Keith_

_Ed- Kellyn_

_Edd- Issac_

_Minor characters: Kevin (Sven), Nazz (Kate), Sarah (Rhythmi), Jimmy (Summer), Rolf (Heath), Jonny & plank (Ben & stuffed pichu doll)_

**Chia: Wha…? You chose this as the cast?**

***coughs* Hey it wasn't easy! Made the best out of what awesome pokemon and epic EEnE provided.**

**Chia: But seriously? The one time you include Kellyn in a story and you make him the idiot?**

…**what? Fans ask for Kellyn, they got Kellyn.**

**Chia: *face palms* Ok readers, back to the original programming**.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Riiiinnngggg!

"Swimming class is certainly enjoyable this lovely morning!"

Ranger school students had taken a bus ride over to the Pueltown pool for their gym glass. This unit was all about swimming. And while Issac had to take extra precautions (water wings, swimming cap, life vest and goggles), he found himself having fun after some time.

"What a way to start the day!" Issac said. "Right Keith?...Keith?"

"Zzzzz…"

Apparently not. He managed to fall asleep again. Issac sighed, watching and waiting for the inevitable to happen. First the snoring and head nodding. Then the fall back into the water. Sink under the water for a bit. And cue the wake up.

"WAAAHHH!" Keith thrashed, screaming. "FLOOD IN VIENTOWN! EVERYONE TO HIGH GROUND! WOMEN AND ME FIRST!"

"Ahem." Issac coughed, snapping Keith from his wild rant.

Keith stopped, looked around and then proceeded to sulk. "Dammit….this early morning stuff is torture."

BAM!

"ACK!"

In an instant, the redhead was knocked by a flying object and hit back under the water. Issac jumped a little. The object had been a bucket which came from the edge of the pool. Who threw it? Their last part of the friends trio; Kellyn.

"Kellyn? Are you drinking chocolate syrup?" Issac sweatdropped.

"HEY COOL IT KELLYN!" Keith snapped. "Trying to catch up on sleep!"

"Don't you get enough of that in the library?" Issac sighed.

The whistle blew. Signaled that the coach wanted to see the class go off the diving board. Rangers did their poses before jumping while operators and mechanics winged it. The guys all lined up behind the rest of the classmates. Sven showed off one of his better moves. Kate followed up with a flawless spin and jump. Heath was alright; a passing grade. And then there was Ben who had a decent pose. If he wasn't held back by that stuffed pichu, he'd do way better.

Keith groggily stepped up to the diving board. He summoned up his remaining energy into his flips and landed in the water flawlessly. Issac wasn't the most athletic nor could he really top any of those moves. But he gave it his best shot. It seemed to impress the coach well enough.

"My turn!" Kellyn ran onto the diving board.

Slip! Crash! Splash!

There was a slip. Then the diving board cracked under the intense pressure. Followed by Kellyn catapulting himself into the water. From his swim trunks (oddly enough), came a box. The boxed dipped under the waves but popped back up, unharmed in the events. Kellyn grabbed it right away.

"Whoop! My chocolate power mix!" Kellyn chuckled. "Good thing that didn't open up!"

Whooossshhhh!

"What the….?"

"EEP! THE POOL'S BROWN AND MURKY!"

"Ew what is this junk?"

Issac exclaimed. "KELLYN! You contaminated the public sanctity of our pool with the thick gelatinous cocoa been extract!"

Kellyn didn't seem too fazed. He was smiling actually.

"Plenty for everyone! Who needs a cup?"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Thanks to the actions of Kellyn, gym class ended early. After showering, getting changed and roll call, the class filed back onto the bus for the ride back to school. As usual, everyone went for the back of the bus. Well…it IS the cool place to sit, isn't it? After some odd moments, Keith growled and stormed onto the bus with the other friends in tow.

"GREAT!" Keith huffed. "How is it I get a detention for something Kellyn does?"

Kellyn, again, wasn't that fazed. "…is it that time already? Chocolate cookies!"

From his ranger jacket, he pulled out a few chocolate cookies with chocolate chunks. He munched on them as he took a spot near the back. Issac nervously sat down next to him.

"Pardon me, Kellyn. But don't you think a daily diet of chocolate may become precarious towards your fitness?"

Kellyn blinked, totally lost. Keith, from the seat behind them, leaned over to join the chat.

"I swear! It's like he's obsessed with the damn stuff!" Keith shouted. "Stashes it there, find it here! Heck! I bet you can't go one day without your stupid chocolate, Kellyn!"

Kellyn pulled out a thermos. He poured a little into the cup and proceeded to sip it.

"Says you." The boy muttered.

"THEN PROVE IT!" Keith yelled.

"WAAH!" Kellyn cried out. "YOUR WORDS ARE TOOTHPICKS IN MY DRUMSTICKS, KEITH!"

"I agree, Kellyn." Issac folded his arms with a frown. "I always have wished that Keith's choice of communication wasn't one that would rattle the houses within the entire regional section of Almia."

Not a goodresponse, looking at Keith's furious expression.

"Don't close out the story, yet readers!" Kellyn happily said.

"What about you, mister braniac?" Keith questioned. "I can stop yelling WAY before you stop being such a smartie pants!"

"Ha!"

Ben climbed up from the seat in front of Kellyn & Issac. His stuffed pichu toy peeked its head as well.

"Issac would go insane if he used simple words!" Ben chimed.

"Aha! Even weirdo kid's against ya!" Keith laughed.

"Awwww. The three idiots are having a tiff. Ain't that cute?"

From the way back seats were the snickers of Sven. Kate giggled a little as well.

"Pfft." Sven smirked. "What dorks."

"Always with dis name calling." Heath spoke up. "Heath wagers ten pokedollars and his pasta foods dat you cannot renounce ze label you speak dof da boys!"

"TEN pokedollars?" Keith exclaimed.

"What? Oh come on dude." Sven rolled his eyes. "I can give up calling them names like that. No problem."

Keith was seeing quite an advantage here. Play the cards right and that money would be his. He snuck over to the seat where Ben was.

"Yo Benny-boy. Think you can go an entire day without that kiddy toy telling you what to do?" Keith challenged.

Ben gulped. "Er…too easy! I-I can do it! Right, pichu?"

"Looks like we've got ourselves a bit, dudes!" Keith called out, holding his hand to the center of the aisle. "You in or what?"

Sven held his hand out. "I'm so in."

Heath shrugged and did the same. "Heath shall partake."

"This'll be awesome!" Ben joined in.

"No chocolate or bust!" Kellyn…er…decided to stick his head in.

"Very well then." Issac, wearing gloves, showed his hand as well. "I accept the challenge to reduce my knowledge into simplistic phrases you may comprehend."

All the guys were in. Keith looked over at Kate.

"Hey Kate! You want in on this?"

Kate chuckled. "No way dudes."

"Alright then." Issac cleared his throat. "May the best man win!"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Once the bus arrived at school, the bet began. Ben ditched his pichu doll. Sven stopped with the insults. Kellyn forced himself to surrender the chocolate. Meanwhile, Issac had to think of ways to say what he wants without sounding intelligent. From his locker, Heath was clearing out every single strand of spaghetti in his efforts to quit pasta foods for an entire day. Rhythmi was distracted by this strange event as she walked down the hallways…

SMACK!

…and crashed straight into Keith.

She fell to the ground, rubbing her sore head. Once seeing it was Keith, she jumped back up and switched to rage mode.

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, YOU REDHEADED DOLT!" Rhythmi screamed in his face.

Keith gritted his teeth in anger. He took a deep breath and just when he was about to let the blond girl have it, he stopped. Rhythmi expected an all-out yell about how her hair was frizzy or she looked like a mankey. Instead Keith froze in his spots and Sven & Heath looked over, smirking all-knowingly.

"Er…" Keith coughed. "Nice try, windpipes."

The redhead continued on his way; calmer than ever. Rhythmi was too stunned to even move. No yelling? Not a single insult or threat? What the hell was going on?

"Rhythmi!" Summer ran over. "What was that all about?"

"I have no idea…" Rhythmi quietly replied, still in shock.

"Everyone's acting so weird. So…so out of character." Summer worriedly commented.

"SUMMER HELP ME!"

TACKLE! CRASH!

In three seconds, Summer had been tackled to the ground. On top of her was Ben, who looked freaked out. And no pichu in sight. The day kept getting weirder.

"B-ben!" Summer blushed from the sheer closeness. "W-w-what are y-you…?"

"Summer! Quick! Tell me to do something! ANYTHING!" Ben panicked.

"Ummm…" Summer sweatdropped. "Do my ranger homework for me?"

Summer expected a 'no' or 'something else' from him. Instead, Ben went straight to work. He got out the textbooks and pencils, heading straight for the library. Ben caught sight of pichu, sitting on the windowsill.

"Hmpth." Ben huffed. "I don't need _your_ advice."

The student stormed right into the library and got to work. And who should see but Keith? He smiled deviously at the sight. Normally, he'd call for the others to see this. But alas, this bet forbid it. So Keith had to do make do with another method.

….which meant dragging Issac and throwing his face into the window.

"Keith!" Issac moaned.

"Check it." Keith whispered. "Dude's fallin apart! He's trying to forget all about that pichu by doing anything anyone asks him to do!"

Issac pried himself from the window to get a proper look. No doubt Ben wouldn't last much longer.

"Ready to give up?" Keith questioned.

"Er…no! N-not at all!" Issac stammered. "It is quite…um…fun! You know, t-to say small words and not sound smart. Not hard one bit."

"KEITH!"

"What the…?"

CRASH!

And in came Kellyn, looking like death. Even more flipped out than Ben was. The bet was already taking quite a toll on him.

"How much longer?" Kellyn questioned.

"Wha…?" Keith blinked.

Kellyn faced him with horror filled eyes. Suddenly, Keith was grabbed by the shoulders and shaken rapidly.

"HOW LONG TILL I CAN BE WITH MY CHOCOLATE!" Kellyn screamed.

Keith sweatdropped. He slipped out and replaced himself with Issac.

"Calm down, Kellyn! The bet's only a few hours in!" Issac tried to assure.

"Oh the inhumanity!" Kellyn bawled, banging his head against the wall.

Issac sighed. True, the bet had only gone on for several hours. But it was tough not being able to speak normally. Looks like Ben and Kellyn would crack soon enough. Keith was obviously too stubborn to drop out now. The others? Who could say? Issac knew it was harsh competition. The only reason he stuck around was to prove he, a certified genius, could handle this sort of challenge.

"Though if I'm not careful…" Issac thought. "I might slip up and lose too soon."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

WHOOOSSSHHHHHH!

Sven paused. He looked around. Could've sworn he heard something. Oh well. Probably wind. Time to enjoy lunch in peace…

SMACK!

Something struck him on his arm. A paper airplane. Dammit. Stupid Keith was throwing them at him. Kate sat down to join Sven but seemed surprised as more airplanes few right at the cowboy. Sven was getting pretty ticked about the massive air squadrons attacking. Around number 27, he had enough.

"KNOCK IT OFF YOU…!"

Keith smirked. He waited for what was to come. Sven managed to catch himself in time.

"Well…" Sven grumbled. "you know."

Kate sweatdropped, shaking her head. Keith buried his head in his hands; his laughter was muffled but heard nonetheless. Issac sipped some milk, wiped his mouth and faced Keith.

"Don't cheat, Keith." He warned. "You aren't being…hmmm…what's the word?...FAIR! You are not being fair!"

"Keith!"

In front of Keith, a basket was place. A basket full of sports bras.

"You got them from all the girls?" Keith asked, looking over the contents.

"From the girls track team, the girls acrobatics team and cheerleaders!" Ben responded perkily. "I even got Kate's, Summer's and Rhythmi's!"

"Nice work." Keith high-fived him.

"You had Ben stole underwear from the girls…?" Issac was shocked.

"What? The kid was desperate for something to do and that pichu's driving him nuts. Besides…" Keith found a green bra within the bunch. "I've got Rhythmi's bra right here for ya."

"Ack!" Issac turned bright red.

"All yours if you drop out from the bet." Keith taunted.

"Nnnnnggg…" Issac turned away quickly. "N-Never!"

"As a lazy tailor would say, suit yourself." Keith shrugged, putting the bra back.

Kellyn was at the other end of the cafeteria table. His head was resting on the surface; eyes with a faraway look. Anyone who didn't know would say he died. Poor guy was losing it. Big time.

"Ch….chocolate…" He murmured under his breath.

"Forget chocolate, Kellyn." Keith shoved something in front of his face. "Have some lunch. You'll be _much_ better."

The deluded boy took a glance at the small bowl before him.

"Vanilla ice cream? NO CHOCOLATE SYRUP!?"

A snap went off in his brain. He picked up the ice cream and, in a rage, sent it flying. Keith ducked the attack. Only to have it knock off Sven's hat and land ontop his head. And wow did Sven look ticked.

"THAT'S IT!"

He chucked a nearby soccer ball towards Kellyn in another attack. But the attack missed, getting a direct hit on Keith. Keith was slammed into the wall nearby. Sven charged over to grab the soccer ball and confront the redhead.

"Nice catch ya…" Sven tried to withhold it but….but it couldn't be done. "DORK! You idiot! Lame brained weirdo! Spaz!"

Sven shouted insults. Instead of feeling lousy, however, Keith an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. As Sven walked off (relieved to blow off steam), Keith found that there was one less competitor to worry about. And it gave him an idea. Whoever said he couldn't push the others off the edge? Why not make the odds in his own favor? Seeing Issac, Keith already formulated another plan.

"Er…" Issac shoved the basket of underwear away from him. "M-must study. Don't think about that…"

"Let's see here."

Keith tipped his chair, resting feet on top the table. In his hands was a thick science book and a pen dripping with fresh blue ink. Annoyingly, Keith gnawed on the pen and carelessly flipped through the book pages.

"E equals MC squared?" Keith read. "What kind of weirdo wrote this junk down?"

The pen screeched as it touched the book pages. Keith was writing in the book! On top of the formulas, equations and mathematical lessons! Issac almost felt his heart stop at the terror of such a deed.

"Oh look. I found another. Some stupid rule about physics." Keith continued scribbling over the words. "Dunno 'bout you but that's just plain stupid."

Scribble scribble scribble scribble…

"STOP RIGHT THERE!"

Issac cracked under the pressure. He pushed Keith and snatched the book from him, holding it close.

"I shall not tolerate your maniacal obliteration of the scientific discoveries for your own self absorbed games, Keith!" Issac scolded.

….damn it. Issac held his hands to his mouth in shock. Just eliminated himself. Keith grinned. Two down. And the next victim was by the salad bar, struggling to pick out a lunch. Keith dashed over to the chair where the pichu doll sat.

"Ooohhhh…" Ben groaned. "What would pichu choose for lunch?"

"What's that pichu?"

Ben whipped his head. Keith was listening intently to pichu.

"You want me to what?" Keith gasped. "Move into my locker?"

NO!

"And you want to hang out with a guy with much cooler hair? You're epic, dude!"

KAPOW!

Keith was pushed all of a sudden. He flew into the doorway, falling dizzily onto the floor. Above him stood Ben. Pichu was in his arms.

"No one is buddies with Pichu except for me!" Ben proclaimed. "Screw your stupid bet!"

With that, Ben left the cafeteria. In came Heath; who wasn't looking great. Both he and Kellyn were majorly deprived of their favorite foods. And they were suffering for it. Keith knew that Kellyn would be way too easy to win over. All that was really left was to get Heath. So with that, Keith waltzed over to the lunch line. He grabbed a tray full of ravioli and started eating. Heath watched with bloodshot eyes as Keith ate; saying absolutely nothing at all.

…..

"THE GAMES THEY ARE OVER!" Heath raged. "I no longer go without ze noodles!"

Keith was shoved out of the way. All the pasta in the bar was instantly devoured by Heath's huge appetite. The guy could really eat! Almost ate a ladle! The ladle was tossed aside, knocking the lid off a nearby silver pot. Within it was a bubbling light brown concoction. Something that Kellyn detected immediately.

"You're back…" Tears stung at his eyes. "Come to Kellyn! Belly misses you!"

Issac looked up from the science book. He panicked, leaping out of his seat to chase after Kellyn.

"NO KELLYN! STOP!" Issac called out. "You and Keith are the last participants of the bet!"

Kellyn didn't listen. With a running start, he leapt and cannon ball'd right into the caramel.

"I WIN! WOOHOO!" Keith yelled, dancing around.

Issac sighed, extremely disappointed.

"HEY GENIUS! Am I loud enough for ya? Noooo?" Keith screamed. "HOW ABOUT NOW!"

Kellyn popped from out the pot; eyes were red & itchy, skin started getting puffy.

"Erk!" His throat sounded congested-like. "N-no! No caramel!"

"Cara-what?" Keith stopped.

"Oh yeah." Issac remembered. "Today's Caramel Thursday! This isn't chocolate after all!"

"NOT CHOCOLATE?" Keith exclaimed.

Then that meant…..oh crap…..

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"60 pokedollars exactly!"

Issac counted up the money and neatly put it in a little roll.

"Congratulations on winning the bet!" Issac happily said to Kellyn, who was at the water fountain. "Though it was unfortunate about the burns and skin reactions. Who would've thought you were allergic to caramel?"

Kellyn turned to face Issac. Made the blond guy cringe. It was quite a sight; puffed up face, eyes swollen with red, itchy rashes all over the place.

"Not me!" Kellyn responded.

He accepted the money, stuffing it inside his pockets. Keith stormed over in his sour mood. Naturally upset he lost.

"So what's quilfish face here gonna spend the money on?" Keith grumbled.

Kellyn grabbed something from his pocket. A book? Magazine? No wait…a catalogue?

"Is that a chocolate catalogue?" Issac blinked in surprise.

"Yeah! See?" Issac pointed. "That's Sinnoh Poffin Chocolate Fondue! Oooh! There's Orre special white chocolate! Or Unova Peppermint chocolate! Yummy!"

"OH COME ON!" Keith snapped. "You're spending the money on more stupid chocolate?"

Issac grinned. "Irony, Keith. Look that up sometime."

Keith fumed. But…hold on. An idea went off in his brain. The smirk returned. Keith slinked away from the group for a moment, leaving Issac and Kellyn to wonder what he was up to. When Keith returned, he came back with a familiar silver pot.

"Lookie here. I got myself some caramel." His hand dipped in the caramel, using to write on the pot. "And see? It's got Kellyn's name! How's that for ironing? HA."

...

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"So that's what happened? Wow."

Kate walked along the halls with Rhythmi and Summer, explaining what had happened beforehand.

"To give up their habits like that? Takes some guts." Rhythmi said.

"So that's why Ben was so out of place!" Summer realized.

"And why Issac tried not be as smart as always." Rhythmi added.

"Yep." Kate nodded.

"Still can't believe Kellyn won. What with all those rotten tricks Keith pulled." Summer said.

"Serves him right." Rhythmi growled. "That jerk stole our underwear!"

"I dunno. He's kinda smart to do it. And not to mention he seemed to be doing better than all the others. Hardly had the urge to raise his voice." Kate reasoned.

"Oh my gosh…you so like him." Rhythmi gasped.

"I-I…I don't like him like that!" Kate blushed. "Don't be silly! Besides, Summer has a thing for Ben!"

Summer turned pink all over. "Eep! I…I never said that! You can't prove it! And what about Rhythmi? She stares at Issac all the time in math!"

Rhythmi was bright red as well. All girls awkwardly looked away from each other, overcome with these feelings.

"WAAAAHHHH!"

Huh? Coming from around the corner were Kellyn and Issac. They sped down the hallway at full power, screaming about something.

"NO KEITH NO! DON'T DO IT!"

Keith slid around that same corner and continued the chase; carrying a caramel pot in his hands

"AHA! WHOA!"

Slip! BAM!

Crashed on the floor. Some of the sticky caramel spilled all over him. With a growl, Keith got right back up and dashed right off towards his friends. The three girls left sweatdropped over the entire scene that took place.

"…so we're falling for idiots?"

"Yep."

"They may be idiots but they're our idiots."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Hard choice between the many episodes but in the end, I picked one of my favorites. Changed a few scenes and details. Plus slapped on that ending scene for the sake of ranger shipping.**

**Chia: Next story update?**

**Who knows? And even for which story as well is a mystery. LET US CONQUER WRITERS BLOCK!**

**Chia: LET US EAT CAKE!**


	3. Vacation

**Chia: You and that stupid writers block…**

**OH SHUT UP! LIKE IM HAVING SO MUCH FUN!**

**Chia: EEEP! *dashes to the readers* Save me! Sky's scary!**

***face palm* Sigh. Well then maybe the next chapter SHOULDN'T be revealed.**

**Chia: *perks up* Oh? *scampers back to Sky* Whatcha got there, writer?**

**Winter blah's are getting me down. I need summer fun. So I dug out an old pokemon fan that many should remember 'Vacation' and then I also read a chapter of PokemonGirl14's fanfic 'Things I'll never Say' about the beach. **

**Chia: SUMMER FUN! I'll get the beachba-….HEY WHO PAINTED THE DIM SUN LOGO ON THE BEACH BALL!**

***sweatdrop* Read, review and enjoy? **

**Note; I recommend listening to this song while reading the chapter.**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

A quiet, peaceful morning in the Vientown Ranger Base. Bird pokemon were heard chirping. Sunlight crawled through the window and into the room of a sleeping brunette. Kate sleepily opened her eyes which met the alarm clock.

"7:58?" Kate thought. "….meh. Two more minutes."

As thanks for saving a ship from sinking (and saving lives), Kate was rewarded with a day off. No need to get up quite yet. Her head buried under the toasty covers of bed. With a sigh, Kate relaxed to the wonderful atmosphere of morning…

"Wait? Do I hear music?" Kate wondered.

BAM!

"GOOD MORNING VIENTOWN!"

...god freaking damn it. Was there one day where the base didn't start their day the crazy way?

"Wakey wakey Kate!" Crawford shook Kate's shoulder. "We've got a big day ahead!"

"Mmmmggg…" Kate's voice muffled in response.

Translation: Let. Me. Sleep.

"Awww. Someone cranky?" The afro guy snickered, turning the volume on his radio louder.

"NNNNGGGGG…" Kate groaned, putting the pillow over her head.

Translation: Let me sleep OR YOU WILL DIE.

"Know what this song is?" Crawford questioned.

"No but I think the song I should play for you is shut up and drive. Drive straight out of my room." Kate grumbled.

Crawford rolled his eyes. "It's 'Vacation' by Vitamin C. A song that speaks of summer and its awesome fun days ahead."

"What's your point?" Kate questioned.

"My point is…WE'RE GOING TO THE BEACH!" Crawford said cheerfully.

Kate poked her head from the blankets. "You serious?"

"Yep! Union decided to give us rangers a holiday! In fact, our top ranger friends, Sven and Wendy, got days off too! There's even some other friends of ours who'll be joining us! We're all going to Summerland!" Crawford explained.

"Sweet!" Kate leapt out of bed. "When's the fun begin?"

"Right after I go wake up Luana!"

….

"Yeah…" Kate sweatdropped. "I'll let you handle that one."

"You took down Dim Sun, saved a ship from crashing and yet you're afraid of Luana when she wakes up in the morning?" Crawford questioned. "….well….actually, so am I."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Come on! Come on! Come on! (Let's go!)  
Come on! Come on! (Let's go!)  
Come on! Come on! Come on! (Let's go!)  
Come on! Come on! (Let's go!)_

Within an hour, everything was ready. Beach bags, swim suits (Kate picked her two piece dark blue one), summer fun stuff…yep! Everything! Another hour or so later, the Vientown crew (minus Barlow and the operator, who decided to stay behind) arrived in Summerland, Fiore. Kate had always imagined the place to be beautiful with sparkling ocean waves, gold sand and a tropical atmosphere. Wow had she been right! Heck, this was even better than in her fantasy!

"So what's the plan?" Kate asked, tossing the beach ball in her hands.

"We meet up with everyone on the southwest end of the island. Away from the tourists and perfect for catching waves!" Crawford replied.

"Sounds good to me!" Elaine stretched her arms.

_Vacation Need a little sun to break up  
all the frustration and turn it into love  
Ain't nobody gonna tell us what we gotta do  
because today, it's up to me and you_

Talking and laughing over various things, the group walked through the beach town. Ranger Leader Cameron, who graciously allowed the use of his town for the ranger party, showed them around the island. Arriving at the location, Kate was amazed. What a place! Wide open beaches, shady trees with reclining chairs and hammocks, a cliff overlooking the ocean and huge surfing waves! And wow, were there people there! Lots of people Kate recognized!

"There's my brother!" Luana pointed. "HI LUNICK!"

"Hey sis!" Lunick waved, along with his 'close' friend Solana.

Kate could see her cousin Summer, and her friend Ben, managed to come from Oblivia for the festivities. Then there was Sven and Wendy, who had come early. A few random rangers from all over the place. And…hold on a sec. Was that….?

"KATE!"

A blonde girl in a dark green swimsuit came running up to Kate, giving her a tackle-hug right off the bat.

"Rhythmi!" Kate exclaimed.

"It's been so long!" Rhythmi squealed. "Good to see you, Kate!"

"W-what are you doing here…?" Kate asked.

"I was invited here too! Got a day off!" Rhythmi sang. "Better yet, so did Issac!"

Sure enough, by the cooler, Issac was there. He was talking to Murph about something or another.

"I thought he was working for Altru." Kate said.

"He is. But he managed to talk his bosses into giving him a day off for working so hard!" Rhythmi responded.

Kate smiled. "So any romance between you two? Or are you still too chicken to say anything?"

"I AM NOT CHICKEN!" Rhythmi turned red.

"You always say you'll tell Issac how you feel but you never do. Not during the internship, not during your birthday….heck, you backed out during the graduation party!" Kate said.

"Well today I will tell him!" Rhythmi huffed.

"Or I can tell him for you." Kate smirked deviously.

"You. Wouldn't. DARE." Rhythmi turned pale.

"HEY ISSAC!" Kate started shouting.

"SHUT UP!" Rhythmi hissed, covering the girl's mouth.

"Heh. I thought I heard noise."

That voice. No way…

"Long time no see, eh Katie?"

Kate turned.

"KEITH!"

It was him alright. And he changed quite a bit since ranger school! Shot up at least a foot in height! Hard core muscles on his chest and strengthed arms. His face changed slightly, making his red hair blaze in a cool manner of sorts. The redhead, in a smooth move, removed his sunglasses and put them in his pocket. Kate was stunned by the transformation. In the many months that had gone by, Keith had…well…grown! Puberty was certainly kind to him!

"W-what are you d-doing here?" Kate stammered.

"I work in Fiore, remember? Got the day off and I heard you did too." Keith responded pompously. "Have I grown more handsome since our last meeting? Or are you just sucking in comparison?"

...nope. Same old Keith. That idiot mind of his hadn't changed a bit.

"Then again, your boobs grew. If I'm gonna be starin at them all day, then it's _some_ consolation." Keith sighed with a shrug. "Shame ya didn't pick a bikini."

Same Keith, same migraines. Kate growled in raging frustration. A super soaker gun was placed in her hands.

"You might need that." Rhythmi whispered.

"Thanks." Kate gave her a smile before glaring at Keith. "YOU ARE GOING DOWN, REDHEAD!"

"Gotta catch me first!"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Temptation coming up to me  
A little brief relaxation and I'll be breaking free  
Come on and break it break it new and I believe it's gonna start now  
(Kick it back Kick it back Kick it back to the track  
Kick it back Kick it back Kick it back and relax)_

"HOLD STILL SO I CAN BLAST YOUR FACE, YOU JERK!"

"NYA NYA!"

Wendy sweatdropped. "Didn't take long for the chaos to start up."

"No kidding." Sven chuckled.

Wendy shook her head, watching Kate charge after Keith with a super soaker gun. And then run off moments later when Keith found a bigger gun to use against her. Screaming, water fighting…so much for relaxation. Wendy brought out the sun screen and started to rub her skin down with it. Not easy to reach the spots on the back, where her two piece black swim suit didn't cover.

"Need any help?" Sven offered.

"_EXCUSE_ me?" Wendy stared at Sven in disbelief.

"What? I can't help my best friend and partner put sun screen on her back?" Sven said.

There was a smirk in that sentence. A devious one that Wendy hated. No doubt the cowboy would play some mischievous prank on her. Or perv. Maybe both.

"No way." Wendy refused. "I can handle this myself."

"What? Don't trust me?" Sven raised an eyebrow.

YES. Big time. No way she'd trust this ladies man.

"Or is it you resist because I'm incredibly hot?" Sven teased, flexing his toned muscles. "You've been trying to resist my good looks all this time but here, at the beach, you see me with my shirt off. And you can't help but think…"

"OK FINE! If it'll get you to shut up!" Wendy snapped. "But no funny business."

"I swear I won't." Sven said.

There was a shake of the bottle and Sven got some lotion on his hands. Wendy shivered, thinking maybe she should back out now before something happens.

"YIPE!" She yelped upon touch. "Warn me before you start!"

"Sure thing, Wen'." Sven chuckled.

That chuckle. The smirk. And that damn nickname. Wendy hated it all. And now those hands on her back, rubbing sun screen? It was so wrong! Why did she agree to do this? SO SO SO WRONG!

…and yet…so right. In a very twisted, weird way that she didn't understand, Wendy sort of liked this. She almost relaxed to the way Sven's hands felt as they smoothed sun screen across her back and shoulders. Made her slightly pink in the face (shoot, forgot to get sun screen there too…) but hey, this was kinda nice. There were a couple times where those hands went a little too far south where they should be but Wendy forgot about it when they were rubbing down her back.

SQUEEZE

"EEP!"

Until that.

"PERVERT!" Wendy screamed, jumping up.

"Whoop! Did I grab _that_ by mistake? My bad!" Sven smirked 'innocently'.

"YOU. ARE. DEAD." Wendy grabbed the sun screen lotion and squirted it at him. "TAKE THIS!"

"HEY!" Sven was splattered in the stuff. "Oh are we playing this game now? I see. Then have some of THIS!"

Wendy with the sun screen lotion versus Sven and a waterbottle. They squirted at each other, running alongside the beach. Once they ran out, both grabbed water guns to join Kate & Keith in an epic beach war. Though as the water struck Sven's chest during the fight, Wendy almost thought that maybe (just maybe) Sven was a little bit hot. Just a little.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Vacation's where I wanna be  
Buddy on the beach where the fun is free  
We don't need a holiday to start to celebrate  
(I need a break; I need a vacation)_

"So what did the ocean say to the shore? Nothing! It just waved!"

Luana moaned, face palming at the joke. She and Crawford sat on some of the rocks that sat several feet out into the ocean.

"Did you _sea_ what I did there?" Crawford snickered.

"I'm getting _tide_ of these jokes…" Luana sighed.

"Hey don't be such a _beach_." Crawford joked.

"Why don't you want to go in the water?" Luana asked.

"What? And mess up my awesome hair?" Crawford struck a pose.

"PLEEEAAASSSEEEE!" Luana went anime eyes.

"Erk…" Crawford gulped nervously. "S-sure! Why not?"

"Yay!" Luana cheered as she jumped right in.

Crawford gave a whoop before cannon-balling as well. Luana laughed as the water crashed down on her. Within a moment, Crawford popped his head back up. Yep. Afro totally ruined. All flat again. But you know…Crawford's hair looked sort of cute when it was down.

"You've got to dive down there!" He said. "It looks super awesome!"

Luana took a deep breath before plunging underwater. Opening her eyes, she saw it really was a wondrous view! A vibrant pink coral reef with luscious ocean plants and colorful pokemon swimming about. She wanted to gasp!...you know, if she wasn't underwater. Though Crawford countered this by giving himself and Luana two aqualungs.

"Oh my gosh this is amazing!" Luana gasped.

"Isn't it?" Crawford responded.

"It's like magic!" Luana spun around.

WHAM!

"EEEP!"

Suddenly, Luana found herself slammed by a huntail. She was sent crashing into one of the rocks near the coral plants.

"LUANA!"

Crawford swam straight after her. He looked over her.

"Aw geez, I should've seen that coming!" Crawford muttered. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine…" Luana nodded, shaking off the shock.

Crawford relaxed. His smile became its goofy self again, though with a hint of relief. And…something else? Luana could've sworn she saw something else in that's smile. An expression deep and mysterious. Now that emotion reflected in his eyes. Luana never noticed how Crawford's eyes before. They looked so…so….

Luana felt her face turn bright red as Crawford's hand gently stroked her cheek. He seemed to pull himself closer; barely any space was between them. His eyes never left hers. From the corner of her eye, Luana could've sworn she saw some luvdisc swimming around. The water seemed to be glowing a strong light pink shade.

"W-what is this?" Luana's mind raced. "M-m-my heart's beating so fast!"

Crawford seemed to be leaning in…wait was Luana leaning in too? Crawford removed his aqualung and then Luana's. Before Luana could even react, her lips were met with Crawford's. His lips were so soft and smooth. Luana practically melted as she closed her eyes and let these feelings wash over her. Her first kiss. And it was with the last person she'd ever dream of. Before, Luana thought of him as a friend. Now? C-could it be? Was she struck by a strange emotion? Or…or had they always been there?

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Vibrations Need to get me sun  
and break up all my complications and turn it into love  
Ain't nobody gonna tell us where we gotta be  
Because today, today it's to you and me_

"Ew that is so gross!"

Summer turned to see what Ben was looking at. Within the shadows of the trees, there was a green haired ranger and a cowboy ranger kissing under the palm trees. Seemed to be deep in passion from the looks of it. More than a summer fling.

"What? T-they're just kissing." Summer said quietly.

"How do you go from blasting squirt guns at each other to making out?" Ben gagged.

"Well I think it's sweet…" Summer shyly mumbled.

Ben went on about how disgusting the scene was while Summer zoned out. They were bouncing along the waves on their inner tubes. Perfect to swim around as well as take a rest when needed. Summer stared up at the sky. Listening to Ben's rant about couples was starting to make her feel down. A nice day slowly starting to get ruined. Any other person would leave but…but Summer didn't. She never did. Only person who really stuck by Ben's side; through good times and bad. And Ben did have his moments where he was fun to be with. Just not this particular time.

"GASSSSP!"

A splash followed by coughing with deep breaths for air. A dark haired girl and a brown haired guy climbed onto the rocks. Their faces were burning up, though it didn't seem to be a sunburn of any kind. Looked a little awkward.

"Ummm…"

"I uh…"

"Yeah….er…."

"I-I'll go get the aqualungs…"

The guy dove back down into the water. Even alone, the girl still looked lost and confused. Summer could instantly tell what was going on. She may be younger than most of these other rangers but she knew.

"What the heck is with them?" Ben huffed.

"I think they're in love." Summer responded.

"Love? Super gross!" Ben coughed. "Why on earth would a dude go gaga over some girl? Love is so stupid."

Summer bit her lip. She couldn't bear to hear this. Not now. And maybe not ever.

"I'm going to get some lunch…" She muttered.

"Eh. I'll come with." Ben shrugged.

The brunnete swam through the waters and onto dry land. She walked on even as Ben asked to wait for her. Footsteps quickened as Ben called after, then even more as he started running.

"What's wrong with you all of a sudden?" Ben questioned. "Sun bake your brains or something?"

"I…I…" Summer stammered.

Ben waited for an answer, looking impatient.

"I don't like it when you talk that way!" Summer finally said.

"Wha? Oh come on. You know I don't mean have the stuff I say. Sorry for whatever's bugging you." Ben rolled his eyes. "But romance? That is pretty stupid."

"Romance isn't stupid." Summer trembled, trying to contain herself. "You don't understand what it's like to have feelings for someone."

"And what? You do?" Ben joked.

Something within the poor girl snapped. She whipped around to face Ben with furious, tear stained eyes.

"YOU ARE SUCH A KID SOMETIMES, BEN!" Summer yelled. "You're so blind to others emotions and have no idea what's going on! Why don't you take a hint? Better yet, JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Ben was stunned into silence. Summer ran away, her heart crushed and emotions getting the best of her. Wasn't till she was far away from everyone else when she started to cry.  
(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Vacation's what I wanna do  
Buddy on the beach, fun for me and you  
We don't need a holiday to start to celebrate  
(Repeat after me, "I need a vacation.")_

Lunick popped open a soda and started to drink. Yikes was it hot out. And getting even hotter. He'd dive back into the water soon after lunch settled. Not that he believed he'd get cramps. Pfft. Old woman's tale. It's just, er, he was resting up. For awesome summer time fun.

A young brown haired goggles boy walked by. His head hung low with a dark expression. Lunick didn't know him directly. Like his sister's friend's cousin's friend.

"Hey dude." Lunick greeted as the kid fished a soda from the cooler. "You ok?"

"Yeah…I'm fine…" He grumbled.

Silence. Both guys started to sip their sodas. Lunick watched as action unfolded on the beach all over the place. What a great day this was.

"Um…"

The kid looked a bit awkward.

"Why do girls yell at guys?" He asked, looking at the sand.

Unusual question. Normally, Lunick would joke at it but he knew the kid was being serious. Huh? Oh there was a name on his goggles. Ben? Suited him.

"Women are mysterious creatures, dude. I think guys have been asking that for centuries." Lunick replied, laying back against the tree. "Why? You get yelled at?"

Silence. "….I don't get her."

"Get who?"

"This girl I know." Ben mumbled. "She's all quiet one minute and then the next, she's angry at me. Tells me to take a hint and that I'm being a kid."

Ohhhh. Now Lunick was starting to get it now. Ah the memories of young youth. Had Spenser not given him some pointers, Lunick would still be oblivious.

"Sooo…you like this girl?" Lunick asked.

Ben gripped his soda can tightly and eyes grew wide. Lunick expected an outburst of some sort. Instead the kid was dead silent. The question might've broken his brain.

"Don't worry. Falling in love happens to the best of us." Lunick said.

"Really?" The kid grumbled. "And you've gone insane over some girl?"

"Yep. I've had my eye on someone for a long time now." Lunick was staring at Solana, who was building sand castles with a mechanic.

Ben noticed this and looked the same way. "So does she know?"

"Well no. Girls sometimes don't get the hint either. Or maybe I'm too darn good at hiding it." Lunick replied. "Even after all these years, I've been too much of a coward to say anything to her."

"Why?" Ben asked.

"Rejection? Thinking some guy's better for her than me? Nervousness? Kinda hard to say." Lunick sighed. "Telling a girl you like her isn't the easiest thing in the world. Women have all these…er…emotions and feelings inside them. They react in crazy ways."

"So if I tell this one girl I like her, then that will make her not mad at me?" Ben assumed.

"Only if you like her back." Lunick responded.

Quiet. Ben seemed to give some serious thought into this. Lunick kept watching Solana. Ever since day 1, when she walked into the Ringtown Base, he liked her. The dark haired ranger guy seemed to have a thing for the blue haired girl. Lunick liked how Solana never gave up; how she was brave but also kind, caring and sweet. She did anything for the sake of her friends and for pokemon. Great ranger material. Every moment spent with her was like a dream.

"How can I give advice on romance when I can't even tell my girl I like her?" Lunick thought with a sigh.

How would Solana react? There wasn't any guy in her life. She never was interested in dating or such. And while there was that fan crush on that bird gym leader in Johto, it didn't count as liking a guy. Would Lunick have a shot with Solana? The odds were completely unknown. Huge risk. A shot in the dark. Lunick had a good chance of facing total rejection.

"I'll do it."

Ben stood up. He finished the soda and tossed the can into the wastebasket nearby.

"I'll…I'll tell her." Ben said.

Lunick grinned. "Good luck, kid."

Ben walked off in a hurry, disappearing. Lunick looked back to Solana, who squealed over the finished sand castle.

"Know what?" Lunick got up. "If that kid can take a gamble with love, then so can I."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Let's go!__Let's go!__Let's go!__ooooo...__  
__Let's go_

Rhythmi laid back on the beach towel, nervous and hesitant. No matter where she went, she only saw Issac or romance in the making. Wendy and Sven seemed to be starting an affair of sorts. Looks like the rumors of those two were true. Luana and Crawford were acting shy but were super close for awhile now. And…was that Solana hugging Lunick? Seriously? _Another_ new relationship? Gah! Another reminder was what that was!

Five times. That was the number of attempts Rhythmi made to confessing her feelings to Issac. Five. Freaking. Times. But she backed out each time, too embarrassed to say anything. Well the last time she almost did it. If it wasn't for stupid Keith. Had he hit Kate with the seashell (or better, not thrown it at all), Rhythmi wouldn't have taken a hit on the head. Wouldn't have chickened out again.

"Rhythmi? Are you alright?"

Rhythmi sat up at once, hearing the voice. Issac sat down beside her.

"Er…yeah I'm fine…" Rhythmi blushed.

"That cut on your head looks bad." Issac pulled out a bandaid. "Let me help."

Issac wiped a little droplet of blood away as he unwrapped the bandaid. Rhythmi's face was redder as he leaned over her to put the bandaid on her forehead.

"You know, Rhythmi...I, um…I missed you."

Any redder and Rhythmi would be bleeding through her nose.

"Y-y-you missed me?" Rhythmi gulped.

"Of course." Issac cleared his throat. "You provided stimulating conversations and pleasant company. I relax around you. It's more fun to have you around."

"Thank you…" Rhythmi whispered, touched.

"You know, I like you Rhythmi." Issac nervously admitted. "M-more than friendship. I _really_ like you."

Rhythmi was speechless. She was frozen in place.

"I meant to tell you at graduation but I couldn't. I didn't think a gorgeous girl like you would feel the same way." Issac went on.

"You think I'm gorgeous?" Rhythmi gasped.

"I do." Issac sheepishly scratched his neck. "Always have."

"Issac…" Rhythmi leaned in and pecked Issac on the cheek. "I like you too. I always liked you. You're such a wonderful guy."

Issac's face melted into one with care. He brushed a loose strand of hair aside to return the kiss. His other hand slid onto Rhythmi's gently.

"Well my dear. Shall we…"

KABAM!

"ACK!"

Out of nowhere, a beach ball smacked Rhythmi in the face and sent her flying into the sand. There goes a perfectly romantic moment.

"Sorry!" Elaine called. "Geez, Wendy! Don't use so much force!"

"She was just distracted by my good looks." Sven joked.

"So was not." Wendy growled.

Issac helped Rhythmi up, feeling her forehead and looking for any damage. Rhythmi instantly liking the attention.

"Maybe we should go for a walk?" Issac suggested.

"Might be safer than staying here." Rhythmi giggled.

Hand in hand, the couple strolled down the edge of the sands.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_(The one with me)  
(Where the fun is free)  
(So come with me)_

The day passed quickly. Soon enough, it was evening. Everyone was enjoying the ocean sunset. Couples all over the place. Wendy and Sven were either bickering or kissing. Solana and Lunick were cuddling. So were Rhythmi and Issac. Luana and Crawford seemed to be spending a lot more time together. Even Summer was warming up to Ben, who was not himself all of a sudden. Elaine lacked romance but joined some of the other mechanics to talk tech stuff. Thus Kate decided to go off on her own and avoid the lovey dovey atmosphere. She went towards the rock cliffs, sitting on the very edge.

"Any room for two?"

Keith strolled onto the cliffside, sitting himself down next to Kate.

"Not unless you want to be pushed off of here." Kate warned.

"You're not still mad about the sneak attack are ya?" Keith asked with a grin.

"Cheater!" Kate poked him. "You're a total cheat!"

"What? Like I can't help that I'm born with these awesome talents and striking good looks." Keith posed dramatically. "Gotta admit my face is quite handsome."

"Too bad there's nothing in there." Kate sweatdropped.

They turned to look over at the sunset. Ocean sunsets were pretty awesome. All those colors in the sky, reflecting off the calm waves. The wind was even relaxing. Now all those artistic pieces on sunsets and oceans suddenly made sense.

"Hey Kate? Am I really a jerk?"

Kate glanced at Keith. Was he serious?

"I guess you could stand to be less of one." Kate shrugged.

"Well what about me is so bad?" Keith asked.

"The perverted remarks, the arrogant attitude, pranks can be hurtful sometimes, no regard for other people's feelings…" Kate listed.

Keith let this sink in. "What about the good parts? Is there anything good about me?"

"Of course there is." Kate answered. "You're really funny and fun to be with. Though it's rare for it to come out, you have a caring side. You never give up; no matter what the situation is. Always bouncy, in a good mood, cheering people from their dark moods. And for the most part, you're a great friend."

Kate was met with a blank stare from the redhead. He studied her face for a bit before turning back to the ocean. A long silence followed. Kate listened to the waves crash on the sandy shores and felt the wind in her hair.

"I'm sorry."

Her eyes met Keith's.

"I…I'm sorry for all of that." Keith sighed. "For everything I've done or said. I don't mean it. Well, most of it."

"I know you don't." Kate said.

"I guess I have trouble trying to say what I'm really thinking and feeling. It's always been hard for me to express that sort of thing." Keith continued.

"What do you mean?" Kate asked.

Keith didn't answer. Instead he grabbed Kate's wrist and pulled her forward. He bent down, closed his eyes and kissed her. Kate's eyes widened at the action. She. Was kissing. Keith. Her old school rival had kissed her. Kate wasn't sure to pull back or remain frozen where she sat. But….but soon something inside her stirred. It caused Kate to close her eyes and welcome the kiss, diving deep into a world of powerful emotions she didn't know existed. Kissing those soft lips sent Kate spiraling into oblivion. It almost hurt to let go when their embrace was over.

The two rangers opened their eyes. Kate saw Keith in a whole new way now. The way the light hit his face so perfectly. How his eyes shined with the same emotions that pulsed through his lips a moment ago. Not an overconfident boy but as….as a man….

"Kate, I love you."

Kate's throat was choked up. Her breath was still but the heart pounded against her chest. Did Keith just say…?

"I've always liked you. Since we became friends at the Pledge Stone." Keith confessed. "But I didn't realize I loved you until you were gone. When we were separated by regions, it felt like we were worlds apart. I missed you. And I regret causing you so many headaches. Gah…I wish I could've told you all this long ago. It's sudden and weird but I love you."

Kate said nothing at first. But she bent forward and planted a small kiss on the redhead's nose. His face burned upon her touch. Kate smiled, seeing how cute his face was in that shade.

"I love you too, Keith."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Vacation's where I wanna be  
Buddy on the beach where the fun is free  
We don't need a holiday to start to celebrate  
('cuz I need a break, I need a vacation)_

The time came. Everyone had to leave and go back home. There was a huge gathering down by the docks. Solana was gushing about her upcoming date she was going to attend with Lunick. Ben and Summer left for Oblivia together on the back of a lapras. Though Ben was more of a gentleman to Summer than when they first arrived. Wendy and Sven grabbed staraptors to back on their own. They argued but everyone already knew the truth about them. Issac was going to hitch a ride with the Vientown rangers. He and Rhythmi embraced for quite some time, emotional about separating. They'd go long distance for their relationship but of course it wouldn't be the same.

_Vacation's where I wanna be  
Buddy on the beach where the fun is free  
We don't need a holiday to start to celebrate  
(Repeat after me, "I need a vacation")_

"Hey."

Kate and Keith stood at the edge of the pier, away from everyone else. Things felt awkward and intense.

"I…um…I guess we won't be seeing each other for awhile." Keith mumbled.

"I guess not…" Kate whispered.

They already exchanged numbers for their cell phones and promised to talk as often as they could. Still, it stung Kate to be apart from Keith. Especially after they confessed to loving each other.

"Here." Keith dug something from his swimming trunks pocket, giving it to Kate. "I picked this up earlier. Thought you might like it."

Kate felt the smooth texture of the shell in her hands.

"Wow, an oyster…" She gasped.

"Oyster?" Keith blinked. "Could've sworn it was a shell."

"I love it anyways." Kate smiled.

From her swimming bag, Kate pulled something out for Keith. A small pink conch shell with swirls. It dangled off a strong string like a necklace. Kate put it around Keith's neck.

"What? Couldn't part with your swimsuit top?" Keith grinned.

Kate raised an eyebrow.

"Kidding!" Keith chuckled. "I love this. Thanks, Kate."

They gave each other a quick kiss on the others cheeks.

"HURRY UP KATE!"

Startled, Kate jumped and dropped the oyster onto the wooden planks of the pier. A loud crack and the oyster split open. At first, Kate panicked. Her gift from Keith had been ruined! All cause of her clumsiness!

"Huh? Hey check it out!"

Keith bent over to pick up something stuck inside the oyster. Kate's eyes widened as the small item was placed inside her hands. A pearl. A beautiful, shimmering white pearl that glistened like the stars. So smooth and perfect!

"Wow…" Kate gasped.

"A pearl for a pearl." Keith smiled.

"K-Keith…this is…." Kate whispered.

"KATE! Stop making out with your boyfriend and come over here!"

"ACK!" Kate's face was red (Keith's too). "I-I guess I have to…go…"

Keith gave her a hug. "We'll meet again. I just know it. Till then, I'll call you often and think of you more. Love you."

"Love you too."

_I need a... (Vacation)  
Come on and... (Vacation)  
I need a... (Vacation)  
Come on... (Vacation)  
mmm... Let's go._

Kate held the pearl close to her heart as the boat sped off from the Summerland docks. Rangers there waved goodbye. Keith stood apart from the rest; his gaze never left Kate's. Kate smiled back and took in every detail of the redhead she could. He was right. They'd meet again. Of course they would. And even when apart, Kate would still love that idiot.

"Soooo Crawford. Luana." Elaine smirked. "You two haven't left the others side all day. Something going on?"

The couple blushed; their eyes wide and mouth stammering out some sort of excuse. No doubt about it. They were together.

"I overheard about you and Keith. Congrats."

Issac joined Kate.

"Likewise, dude." Kate said. "I heard about you and Rhythmi."

Issac smiled. "Ah, Rhythmi. Such a wonderful woman."

"She's been head over heels for you since day 1." Kate told him.

"Really? That long?" Issac asked, surprised.

Kate nodded. Issac leaned against the railing.

"I should've confessed earlier. Would've saved me so much trouble." Issac sweatdropped.

"Love is confusing. And weird." Kate sighed. "But…it's also the best thing in the world. I mean, all these people coming together in one day?"

"An odd coincidence." Issac noted.

"Or maybe it's summer magic."

_Vacation's where I wanna be  
Buddy on the beach where the fun is free  
We don't need a holiday to start to celebrate  
('cuz I need a break, I need a vacation)_

Vacation's where I wanna be  
Buddy on the beach where the fun is free  
We don't need a holiday to start to celebrate…

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Chia: WOW this was long!**

**A lot of couples to write about! And some details to try out as well. **

**Chia: Bravo. Does this mean you're over the block?**

**We shall see. Next update is (hopefully) soon!**

**Chia: Also because you're so stupid and forgot this last time…SKY DOES NOT OWN POKEMON, ED EDD N EDDY OR THIS SONG MENTIONED HERE!**


	4. Paper Mario Thousand Year Door

**Chia: Oooh? What kinda crossover do we have today? Our title for the chapter certainly is interesting!**

**Well I had some ideas but they're not quite ready. And while I was working on a school project, I goofed off. Again.**

**Chia: Typical Sky. Such a baka.**

***fumes* I AM NOT A BAKA! **

**Chia: Chill, baka. **

**Grrrr…sigh. Like I said, I was looking up stuff and came across video playthroughs for Paper Mario Thousand Year Door. I liked the game a lot. And I remembered a few cutscenes. Why not recreate that?**

**Chia: Read, review and enjoy all you bakas!**

**DO NOT CALL MY READERS BAKAS!**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Thousand Year Door Cast

_Princess Peach – Rhythmi_

_TEC – Issac_

_Extra characters: Grotus (Blake), Grotus' underlings (Dim Sun crew) plus a couple of characters who will be mentioned once or twice._

**Warning: There may be one or two weird parts. Hey the game itself was pretty 'suggestive' so don't you blame me for mental images stuck in your head!**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Oh great leader, Blake, we have brought the fair lady Rhythmi as you requested, sir!"

Rhythmi was shoved into a giant, circular room. Everything was made of cold steel and held an aura of twisted evil. There were silver torches but of creepy taste and that held purple flames. Banners on the wall were of one logo only; Dim Sun's. The Dim Sun grunts pushed Kate through the room to where the throne was. Ice, the right-hand man to the boss, stood beside with a bored expression. The boss stood at his throne; Blake Hall.

"I can't believe I've been captured…" Rhythmi thought nervously.

The Union had been attacked out of the blue. Many rangers, operators and mechanics had gotten hurt over the very heated battles that went on inside. Yet in the end, it was Rhythmi who was detained and only her. Even after Kate, her best friend, tried so hard to defend her. Still…the blond operator felt horrible that she caused such a mess.

"Well, well little girl." Blake chuckled, standing over remote controls. "Tell me. My grunts have scoured the base but have not obtained any information. Surely you must know. What are the rangers planning? Hm?"

Rhythmi frowned, staying silent. Blake turned to face her, glaring through his shades.

"You speak when spoken to, operator." He growled.

"I don't know." Rhythmi told him. "I'm just the operator."

"It's obvious you're withholding information. And you better not keep quiet about these matters." Blake threatened. "You don't want to mess with Dim Sun. We're quite brutal. If we must, we'll go to great extremes to get what we want."

Rhythmi broke into a cold sweat at the remark. But she said nothing.

"_Leader!"_

On the giant screen, a new image appeared. An incoming phone call from a pink haired woman.

"Lavana, this better be quick." Blake sighed, rubbing his temples.

"_Remember that Red Gem rumored to be in Boyleland? Supposed to be guarded by a Heatran? Well it was there but it got nabbed by someone else!"_

"WHAT!" Blake exclaimed.

"_Those rangers are searching for the colored gems too! They're catching on to our plans. And my makeup is running!" _Lavana wailed, applying more on herself.

"Hmmm. Very well. If they want to challenge us, we'll fight back." Blake said, cutting off communications. "I'm tired of talking. Grunts! Take the operator, Rhythmi was it?, to the holding room."

"Yes sir!" The grunts saluted.

"And under no circumstances must she be harmed. We've got something special planned for her."

Rhythmi gulped. Didn't like the sound of that.

"Yes sir!"

The grunts started taking Rhythmi away. She could scarcely hear the conversation between Blake and Ice.

"Ice. Those ranger pests will be after the next two gems."

"And you would like me to assume position in the Hia Valley, I assume?"

"At once."

"Right away, sir."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

It was a long walk through the Dim Sun base. Just as cold and hostile as that room if not worse. An elevator took Rhythmi to the very bottom where there was a large room filled with lockers and random junk. There was a basic bed and dresser as well. After being thrown and locked in, the operator explored to find a bathroom attached. Although it was really weird to do so, she felt she needed a shower. It was a long day and it seemed far from over. So the blonde locked the door, set aside her clothes and stepped inside the shower, closing the curtains around her.

Despite the base being so damn cold, the water was wonderfully warm. Very comforting. Washed away all the sweat and scratches from the day. The steam felt so nice. Rhythmi almost relaxed for a split second. But her mind soon wandered to the thoughts of her friends back at the Union.

"I hope they're alright…" Rhythmi whispered, worried. "That attack was so terrifying. Everyone got hurt badly. I-I wish I could at least tell them I'm alright and that I need help."

Eventually, the shower ended. Rhythmi dried off with a nearby towel. She was going to put on her operator clothes back on when her eyes spotted a spare outfit off to the side. No Dim Sun logo or anything. Actually, it was a basic long white gown made of soft material. Normally, Rhythmi would refuse to wear one of their clothes. But this dress was sort of pretty. And no logos, dark colors or anything weird. Besides, Rhythmi could stand to wear something not dirtied up. So she changed into the dress and used the bathroom sink to wash the operator outfit. Once it was hung to dry, Rhythmi left the bathroom.

"Ahhh…kinda feels nice." Rhythmi sighed. "Almost forgot I'm prisoner."

Click! Whooosh!

The entrance…i-it opened! All on its own! No Dim Sun jerk or anyone! How strange. But this might be an opportunity to escape! Rhythmi quickly rushed out the door and into the halls.

"No guards?" Rhythmi noticed. "Huh. Weird. But why question it?"

Rhythmi went to the elevator….damn. It needed a key and series of codes to work. Neither of which the operator had. So much for that plan. Now what?

Click! Whooossh!

…problem solved. Another door at the end of the hall opened up. Being curious, Rhythmi went over to explore. At first, nothing but darkness. Hard to see anything.

Zzzzt!

Lights flickered on. It was a room full of machines and technology type things. A giant monitor hung on the wall, above a keyboard. Above the monitor looked like a camera of some kind. What sort of room is this?

_Hello Rhythmi._

Rhythmi jumped at the voice. The monitor vibrated a glow with green & blue lights flashing. The operator shyly walked further inside.

"H-hello? Who's there?" She asked, scared. "Where are you?"

_Quite amusing. I'm right beside you._

It came from the computer. Rhythmi blinked as she faced the monitor. Was it possible…?

_I am the base's main computer. __Intelligent Superior Software-equipped Artificial Computer__. Though I'm referred to as Issac. You may call me that if that is your preference. I was built by Mr. Blake Hall as the world's most perfect computer; one that is advanced and flawless beyond reason._

"Nice to meet you, Issac." Rhythmi bowed her head. "But are you referring to the man in black who interrogated me? That evil man?"

_Mr. Blake Hall is a wonderful man. He is not evil. In fact, he is working to change the world; lead it to a new era._

"Ok then." Rhythmi felt insecure about what he said. "Why'd you bring me in here? That was you who lead me, right?"

_Yes. And I am…unsure. Something quite unusual occurred when I was observing you earlier. My intelligence circuitry sparked, causing my hard-drive to overheat. The source seems to be from your image. Unidentified pulses raced through the processors and internal wire connections. These events are quite new to me._

"Really? Are you alright now?" Rhythmi asked.

_There is more, Rhythmi. See, I ran diagnostics. Now I find, from my results, is that I wish to learn more about you. I want to keep watch over you. Such things are strange and the cause is unknown. A flawless computer such as myself…I do not know why….but I wish to discover more and diagnose this unusual predicament. _

"And so you brought me here." Rhythmi finished.

_I will not fail. I pursue this in the name of science and technology. I research what there is to know and now I shall research you._

"Wait, you said you watched me right…?" Rhythmi cautiously asked. "Then you saw me…."

She froze as the realization hit. The computer…i-it spied on her. In the shower. While she was completely….aw dear arceus no! The thought was embarrassing! Rhythmi felt herself turn red.

_If you know why I malfunctioned, can you care to explain?_

Rhythmi pushed aside the previous thought to ponder Issac's question. But that led to even more bizarre ideas. True they seemed to be the only explanation and yet…

"I might know. But it's really weird…" Rhythmi's voice was quiet.

_Please tell me. Please. I am built to be the world's perfect computer. I wish to understand all that there is._

"Well…i-is it possible th-that…" Rhythmi squeaked. "That you're in l-love? With me?"

_Love? What is this…'love'? I cannot compute this._

"You don't know what love is?" Rhythmi blinked, surprised. "How to explain this? Hmmm…I guess love is a feeling where you wish to be with a person forever. To care about them deeply and wish for their care in return. It makes you feel happy just to see that person happy, smiling, having fun. And when that person you love is in trouble, you'll do whatever it takes to make sure they're safe from harm."

A moment of silence.

_Happy? Fun? Care…? I have definitions for these words but…my programming, it's insufficient. How can this be? There should be nothing I cannot comprehend._

Rhythmi shook her head. "Love isn't a concept to really grasp, Issac. It's what you feel."

More silence.

…_.Rhythmi? Can you…could you teach me about love?_

"ME?" Rhythmi exclaimed. "But you're a computer!"

_A computer that must understand everything and anything there is to know. And love will be no different. I ask of you to teach me what love is. In return, I'll grant any wish you may have. You name it, it shall be done._

"How about letting me go?" Rhythmi tested.

_That I cannot do. I apologize._

"Well I'm still angry at those Dim Sun jerks for kidnapping me and hurting my friends." Rhythmi huffed. "Why should I help you understand love after what I've been through?"

_I understand you're angry. That I comprehend. But isn't there anything else you could want? Anything to exchange for the lessons?_

Rhythmi thought it over. There was one thing. A long shot though it could work.

"I wish to contact my friends. To let them know I'm ok." Rhythmi requested.

_Very well. My email server is fast and send emails anywhere. You may use the keyboard below me to enter the recipients address._

Rhythmi walked over and composed a message. Basic stuff. She reassured she was alright for the time being, needed help escaping and prayed for everyone's safety. The operator clicked the send button. An envelope flew across the screen in the blink of an eye.

_Message sent. You may return to your room. I'll call you once I need to ask you something._

"Alright." Rhythmi started to leave. "Um…good night, Issac."

_Good night, Rhythmi._

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Time passed. Rangers were kept busy trying to recuperate from the attacks as well as gather evidence of the Three Gems Dim Sun searched for. Dim Sun was ambushing them at every turn only to be defeated each time. The war was an endless struggle. But Rhythmi knew none of this. She was waiting in her room. Sometimes she'd read the books scattered about, other times she'd nap. Maybe daydream or wonder how her friends were doing.

"Guys…did you get my message?" Rhythmi thought. "How are you? Please be ok. I hope you guys are staying safe and not going through too much trouble."

The white gown she wore…it was a little simple but with a few alterations she could wear it to a ball of sorts. A nice party. Maybe Rhythmi could take the dress with her when she left. Could use it at the next ranger dance…

"How can I even think of the ranger dance now?" Rhythmi muttered. "I might not even make it out in one piece…"

Click! Whooosh!

The entrance door opened. Was it Issac's doing? Most likely. Rhythmi got up from the bed and walked through. Same old dreary hallway. Gave her the creeps just passing through it. Rhythmi made sure to hurry to the computer room.

_Hello Rhythmi. I am glad you came._

"Thank you." Rhythmi said. "Did the Ranger Union get my email? Did it go through alright?"

_I can assure you it has. They have gotten your email._

"Wonderful. So is there something you wanted from me today? A lesson in love?" Rhythmi asked.

_Earlier you expressed disappointment about a ranger dance, is that correct?_

"WHAT!" Rhythmi shouted, shocked. "WHY THE HELL WERE YOU EAVESDROPPING ON ME!"

_Er….I apologize. It is my orders to keep survallience on you._

"And you're observing me for your 'research' right?" Rhythmi mumbled.

_That too._

Rhythmi sighed. Typical. Well…it was a computer and not some perverted creep. Could be a lot worse.

_It's peculiar though. You expressed the wish to dance and now I feel as though I want to. This strange impulse to dance. However my CPU shouldn't create such a thing. I must find the cause…_

"Find the cause? There isn't any, Issac." Rhythmi told him. "It's a feeling. Wanting to do something with someone such as dancing, that's love. I just know it. It's hard for a computer to understand but…it just is…"

_Rhythmi._

"Yes?"

…_.dance. Please dance with me. _

"D-dance! W-w-with you?" Rhythmi stammered in surprise. "That's…why that's so weird! And you have no arms. Or feet."

_I have an idea. I do hope this is appropriate._

From the camera, a beam of light shot out. Tiny pixels were slowly piecing together to create a holographic image. Slowly but surely, it formed into a person. A young man about Rhythmi's age. He wore a basic outfit with a white lab coat. His skin was a light peach, hair a blond mushroom cut and eyes were a shining blue. Rhythmi was stunned by this. The hologram was ….wow! Sort of attractive in a geeky kind of way.

_Is this appearance suitable?_

Issac's voice came through the hologram.

"Er…I…y-yes but Issac, how are you doing this?" Rhythmi asked.

_I can create holographic images using a large portion of my software equipment and I've managed to insert myself into this form. It takes added energy to create myself a human image and control it but I am quite curious about love and dancing. Shall we?_

"O-ok…" Rhythmi said. "Though I must say it'll be unusual for me to dance with a hologram."

Issac held his 'hand' out. Rhythmi took it and stepped closer. Music started to play from the speakers; a soft melody. Issac led them both, dancing along the floor. For a hologram, he glided beautifully. Rhythmi tried her best to keep up and keep the moves steady. But it was hard to when she found her gaze locked on Issac's digital eyes.

How could this be? Her own heart was beating so fast! Heck, her face might even be warm. Rhythmi was with a computer, not a human guy. And yet, she was feeling something. She could sense that Issac wasn't really all that bad. Intelligent, curious and starting to become a friend of sorts. Not to mention those digital eyes of his…how could they look so real?

The twirls and spins grew extravagant. Rhythmi was very impressed. Issac knew dancing, alright. But Rhythmi noticed something. His once neutral face was starting to flicker; softening. Was there another emotion hiding behind him? Inside this computer? Was there more to him than meets the eye? Rhythmi found that as much as Issac wanted to learn about her, she wanted to discover more about him.

_Gah…_

Issac stopped. He clutched his chest, falling to the knees. His eyes squinted shut from what appeared to be pain and exhaustion.

"Issac!" Rhythmi gasped.

_I…I'm sorry, Rhythmi. My energy is running out. I need to cut off the holographic projection and recharge. _

The hologram pixels started fading. Piece by piece, they floated back into the camera once more. Issac was back inside his computer again.

_Thank you. For dancing with me. It was very fun. Wait….hold on….the concept of fun….is this it? How interesting…_

"Issac, you seem different." Rhythmi noticed. "Are you feeling alright?"

_Before I go into rest-mode, I must fulfill my promise. Use the communicator to send another email if you wish._

"Thank you."

Rhythmi went over to check the email. She got an email but the programming didn't allow her to see it. All she could do was send emails. So Rhythmi told her friends this in the update, made sure to say she was holding up fine and sent her wishes & spirit to them all. The email was typed quick and short so Issac could rest easier.

_Message sent. You may return to your room._

"Careful, Issac." Rhythmi said.

_I will be. And then, once I have charged, I will analyze the data from that dance. I think I may start to understand what fun is._

Rhythmi grinned. "You're a pretty weird computer."

_You are mistaken. I am the world's most perfect computer. Flawless. Good night, Rhythmi._

The operator kept smiling as she left the room. Issac was definitely changing. Something in his computer voice was shifting; even his personality started coming through. Could it be possible that he'd understand love?

…and was it possible for Rhythmi to start becoming close to an artificial intelligence?

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The rangers secured the Blue Gem. Took some time plus a whole lot of hard work but it was done. Dim Sun wasn't particularly pleased about the loss nor was Blake happy to hear that Ice was defeated. But the dark, sinister plans were still boiling. They'd make sure to get their plans accomplished one way or another.

Rhythmi spent many hours in her room, bored. Read all the books and just woke up from a restless sleep. No Dim Sun grunts bothered her for awhile so it made her wonder what everyone was up too. And just when she thought this….

Click! Whooooosh!

Issac was calling her. Rhythmi didn't hesitate to go through the doors. Was she really that bored? Or could it be she was excited to see what Issac had in store? Thinking about that made hall passing time not so bad. Nothing to worry about now.

_Hello Rhythmi._

"Always calling me in without warning, aren't you?"

_My apologies. But I request something of you. A task to be done._

"Yes?" Rhythmi asked.

_I need you to go where Mr. Blake Hall is and ask him something._

"Ask him something?" Rhythmi echoed.

_Information recently has been gathered and entered into my system. It's caused some…concerns._

"You said you knew everything." Rhythmi recalled.

_Yes but it would have to be recorded into my CPU otherwise. Mr. Blake Hall's Plans are not registered in my hard-drive memory. That is why I want to know what Mr. Blake Hall thinks of this issue._

"I'd do it but…" Rhythmi paused. "I-I'll probably get caught. They'll throw me back in my room if they see me."

_True. I have a plan. I'll reconfigure the elevator so you may enter and go up several floors. Change from your operator uniform to one of the Dim Sun grunts. You will avoid detection and go to Mr. Blake Hall looking like one of his crew members._

"So a disguise…" Rhythmi pondered this. "I imagine you're not going to take no for an answer?"

_You imagine correctly._

Was there a humorous tone to that line? Rhythmi could've sworn she heard it.

"Ok I'll do it." Rhythmi accepted.

_Thank you. Now exit the room and go to the elevator. I'll unlock it. Before leaving, read whats on the screen. It's the question for you to ask._

Rhythmi did as asked. Read the question, memorized it and went to the elevator in the hallway. Elevator doors opened up for her as expected. So she got in and waited. Smooth ride. How did the elevator seem 10 times better than the base itself? Eventually, the floor was reached.

_Wait. I sense grunts in the area._

"R-really?" Rhythmi shivered, hoping she wouldn't get caught.

_Stay quiet. Wait for them to pass._

One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. Time ticked away. Rhythmi began feeling impatient. Seemed like forever before the doors opened again.

_They're gone. You should be safe. The room isn't far; look for a green lamp. _

Rhythmi left the elevator. Despite the butterfree in her stomach, she ventured out into the floor. Down the hall, three doors to the right, there it was. The room with the green lamp above the door. And inside was the locker room. Several lockers with changing rooms beside them.

_Check the lockers. There should be a uniform in one of them._

"Ok." Rhythmi said. "But are you sure you should be on the loudspeaker?"

_I'm only speaking through this room. No one but us can hear. But you must hurry before someone else arrives._

Rhythmi did as asked. She found the uniform and dashed into a changing room. Ack! This uniform's horrible! Smells of sweat and dirt! Not to mention it was a tight fit! Who would've thought that tights would be so confining? Even for a girl such as herself! The spandex though? Creepy. Felt so wrong! And Rhythmi saw she looked hideous in the uniform. Gave her shivers.

"The rangers would never forgive me if they saw me in this…" Rhythmi thought, sweatdropping.

_You disguised yourself to perfection. Go ahead to the final door down the hall. _

Rhythmi gave a nod. She exited the room. Oh hey, perfect timing. A bunch of Dim Sun grunts were around now. Some heading into the locker room. Rhythmi slipped past them to go down to the door at the end of the hall.

The main room was just as horrible as when Rhythmi first arrived. There was Blake. He wasn't doing anything busy so now was a good time to ask. The operator lowered her voice to seem less suspicious and walked over to him.

Choking down the fear, Rhythmi said, "Sir Blake? Or, um, Mr. Hall?"

"Yes? What is it?" Blake questioned. "Speak up!"

"I ask you. What do you plan to do with that girl? Her name was, er, Misery, right?" Rhythmi asked.

"Your voice…it's so unusual…" Blake stared at her.

Ack! No! She was about to be found out! Busted! Big trouble!

"Perhaps you need a throat lozenge?" Blake offered, searching his pockets. "Oh? Alas, I have none. Ah well. You ask of the operator?"

"Y-yes?"

"None of your concern. All you need to worry about is getting the Gems and stopping those rangers. But I must ask you to treat Rhythmi with the most gentle care. We need her to be in top condition for what's to come. We need her and those Gems to conquer the world." Blake explained. "Spread the news to the others."

"R-right away sir." Rhythmi gulped.

She left the room in a hurry before Blake could catch on. Back into the changing room. No one around. The grunts were busy with some sort of new plan. Rhythmi swiftly changed back into her operators uniform, throwing the disgusting Dim Sun one on the floor. Not a guard to be found again. Good. Rhythmi ducked into the elevator and rode down. She soon found herself back into the computer room.

"Issac! Is that really your goal? T-to conquer the world?" Rhythmi questioned.

_It is my purpose. The reason why I am built._

"But how could you…" Rhythmi whispered, leaning against the wall.

She felt so…so betrayed. As if her friend was doing this behind her back. It took a lot in her not to start crying. Even though it hurt, she wouldn't dare cry.

_Let me ask you something. Are you happy with the world as it is now? Even with its many problems and sorrows? The glitches and imperfection?_

"Of course! Nothing is ever perfect in the world or in life but I love all the good parts!" Rhythmi answered. "And while there is sorrow, there is also joy. You take the good with the bad. There's always light in the midst of darkness."

…_.is that so?_

"Issac, I need answers. About the Gems, about conquering the world and about me."

_I cannot answer, I'm afraid. Prohibited in my software by Mr. Blake Hall himself._

"Ok…" Rhythmi looked at the floor in regret. "At least…at least let me use the communicator. I need to tell my friends that the world's in danger."

Silence.

…_I suppose I can allow that._

Rhythmi went ahead to type the email. Made sure it was urgent and used whatever information she could. Her closing remarks always wished for her friends good health and success in stopping Dim Sun. Emails piled up in the inbox. If only she could check them.

_Message sent. Rhythmi, you've had a busy day. I suggest you get some sleep._

"I do feel tired." Rhythmi yawned.

_Good night Rhythmi._

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Rangers started getting an idea where the final gem rested. As did Dim Sun. It was a race to see who would get there first. Dim Sun research poured into something called the Shadow Crystal and Darkrai. As well as something known as 'Thousand Year Almia Power'. The power of this long lost magic would be in their grasp soon enough. That is if the rangers didn't hurry.

"Issac? Did you call me?"

Rhythmi popped her head into the computer room. Though the last time they met hurt her, Rhythmi couldn't help but want to see her friend again. Yes, Issac was her friend. A close friend, really. Through what happened, he was still helping her in some ways and was her only company.

Issac had decided to use his hologram today. His image looked at her with interest as though studying her.

"So what's it going to be today?" Rhythmi asked with a smile. "Dancing? Singing? Undercover missions?"

A moment passed in quiet.

_I…I am conflicted._

"Conflicted? Are you feeling ok?" Rhythmi questioned, concerned.

…_._

"Issac?"

_I can't see which is more important. Carrying out an order or protecting a critical person? Though I exist for the purpose of one person, I wish I could exist solely for another. I…I don't know what to do._

"What do you mean?"

She stared into Issac's eyes. How did they look different? Same but with more light, more glimmer inside? With…emotions? Issac shook his head.

_Nevermind. Forget what I said. I do not know why but it feels very unpleasant if I make you worry. In any case, I would like to challenge you. How about a test?_

"A test?" Rhythmi blinked.

_Yes. I ask you questions, you answer truthfully. Answer five questions and the communicator is yours to use._

"Alright. I can manage that." Rhythmi accepted. "Test away."

_The test is multiple choice. You may refer to the screen for the answers and pick one. First question, what will happen if you collect the three gems?_

Answers appeared on screen. Their power is multiplied, they shatter into pebbles or nothing. Rhythmi guessed the first one.

Correct. Question two, what is Mr. Blake Hall's plan?

Vacation cruise, to become rich or to conquer the world? Obvious answer there.

_Correct again. Question three, what is the Thousand Year Almia Power?_

Rhythmi gasped. "Issac! A-are you…?"

_Please answer the question, Rhythmi._

Rhythmi stared at the screen. A million gold coins, a crystal of darkness or treasure? The operator chose the second option.

_Correct. Now for the fourth question. What does Mr. Blake Hall wish to do with the crystal?_

Release an ancient demon, make it into jewelry or bargain with the rangers? Had to be the first option. Horrifying to think of but it made more sense.

_That would be correct. Final question. What is required to vanquish the demon and restore light?_

Magic, dragons or the three gems' light. Rhythmi went with the gems.

_You answered all questions right. The communicator is yours to use._

"Issac…" Rhythmi whispered, trembling. "You…was it ok for you to tell me this?"

Issac didn't meet her gaze.

_Enter the message you wish to send._

"I see…" Rhythmi murmured.

What else was there to say in the email? The usual but of course this new information. Rhythmi relayed it all without fail. She appreciated what Issac did for her. This would be a major help for the rangers. When the message was sent, Rhythmi faced Issac again. He still looked away. There was almost some sort of dark expression on his face. Rhythmi couldn't hold back. She ran over to the hologram and wrapped her arms around in a hug.

True, it wasn't an actual body. But there was warmth. She could feel warmth radiating from the image. As though a body was there. Rhythmi was conflicted on so many things as it was. After time, she let go. Issac looked very surprised at the sudden move.

_That…that was a hug, was it not?_

"Just a way to say thank you." Rhythmi shyly told him. "For everything you've done so far. I appreciate it."

Issac gazed at her in stunned silence. Then, a small smile appeared on his digital face.

_Thank you, Rhythmi. You better get some sleep. As will I in a few moments. Good night, Rhythmi._

"Good night Issac."

Rhythmi left the room. Her heart pounded fiercely at the memory of that hug just moments ago. She loved it. The warmth and feelings behind it. Perhaps Issac wasn't the only one changing.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Trouble. Dim Sun had apparently gotten smarter. A brave ranger had been sent to get the Yellow Gem but ended up being kidnapped himself. Now the rangers would have to seize the gem and trade it to the bad guys in order for that ranger to keep his life. Tough situation. And score one for Dim Sun. Things were not going well. Not at all.

"Issac called me again…" Rhythmi thought, walking to the computer room. "What's going to happen today?"

She entered. Issac was silent this time. He stayed silent for a while.

"Issac?" Rhythmi called out. "Are you there?"

…_I have a request. Another mission. But it'll be more dangerous this time._

"Sure thing. With you guiding me, I can do anything." Rhythmi said. "I'm as good as any ol' ranger! What's the mission?"

_You must sneak into Mr. Blake Hall's room and search for his data disk._

"Why that?" Rhythmi asked.

_The data disk has much information stored inside it that I cannot access. It's separate from the networks and kept top secret. Mr. Blake Hall has information known to only him this method. But I cannot accept it. I must know. No, I __need__ to know._

"Is it disguise time?" Rhythmi assumed.

_Not this time. No one is allowed in Mr. Blake Hall's room but himself. Guards are at the room entrance when he is not around. We need to do something a bit more drastic. You'll do fine if you act according to my instructions. It's hazardous. I wished to keep you far from danger but there isn't any other way._

"You name it, I'll do it." Rhythmi, determinedly, told him.

_Very well. Go into the elevator once more and I'll take you to the same level. Once there, go in the opposite direction than last time. Find the door with the blue lamp lit above it._

Easy directions. Flash forward about 5-10 minutes and Rhythmi easily found the door. Entering it, she found herself in a science lab. Lots of test tubes, coils, chemicals and equations on a board. How scientific.

_Now then. With my assistance, you will concoct a potion that shall turn you invisible. That will let you sneak into the room for the data disk._

"Really? That's so cool!" Rhythmi grew excited.

And the process was definitely cool. Mixing red, blue and green potions with orange stuff in the right order almost made it like a game. Then placing the mix inside a special machine. In the end, the chemical turned into a yellowish color. When on a conveyer belt, Issac activated the machine to put it in a heating duct to heat for several seconds. The liquid turned a dark emerald green.

_My calculations say it should be accurate. That is the invisibility potion. You must drink it all in order for it to work._

"Got it." Rhythmi nodded.

Smelled funny. But holding her breath, Rhythmi guzzled the entire drink quickly. Ew! Weird taste too! And the aftertaste was nasty!

POOF!

It worked! Rhythmi turned invisible! Sort of. Her clothes looked like they hovered in the air on their own.

_It worked as expected. Well done. Although, er…we do have one issue remaining. I must ask that you remove your clothes._

"WHAT!" Rhythmi felt her face burn up. "T-t-that's indecent! I can't run naked around the Dim Sun base!"

_Please Rhythmi. It's the only way for this plan to work._

Rhythmi sighed. "….I can't believe I'm doing this."

No other choice left, the operator took off her clothes. Yikes! Cold! Thank arceus she was invisible! Though she wondered how long this potion lasted. If it wasn't long, things would get pretty freaky…

_When you enter Mr. Blake Hall's room, you first will locate the disk with all the data. Then insert the disk into the personal computer and connect to the network. Once finished, return to this room right away._

"Geez Issac, a little complicated on the plan much?" Rhythmi sweatdropped.

_I suppose it is a bit complicated. But we don't have much time. Hurry. And don't worry, I'm with you no matter where you are._

Rhythmi smiled. The last part made her feel safe. It helped her be a little braver.

"Issac…cares? Does a computer care?" Rhythmi thought. "Hmmm…"

With a deep breath, Rhythmi charged into the halls. None of the grunts saw her (thank arceus…) as she snuck through. Walking through an evil team's base completely naked had got to be one of the most embarrassing moments of her life. True, no one could see her but it was still wrong in so many ways! Rhythmi quickened her pace to get this mission done asap.

The guard was a gallade that belonged to Ice. Rhythmi waltzed right past without it batting an eye. It was confused about the door suddenly opening but quickly ignored it. Rhythmi noticed the room was way nicer than the base. Carpeted floors, a fish tank with sharpdeos, a fancy desk & chair…total evil villains lair style. Rhythmi went to the bookshelf where a golden data disk was.

"Aha! Got ya!" Rhythmi grinned.

She went to the computer and stuck the data drive in as asked. Computer booted up, connecting to the network. Rhythmi waited a moment for the information to be accessed before pulling the disk out and returning it to its spot. Once finished, she raced straight back to the lab.

"So how do I return to normal?" Rhythmi asked.

_No worries. Your potion will wear off in exactly….one minute._

"Eep!" She squeaked. "I-I-I better g-get dressed!"

Rhythmi scrambled to get her clothes on again. She'd hate to be visible and bare. Luckily, she finished just as the potion wore off. Rhythmi was visible once more. Issac asked her to go back to the computer room to which she did.

"Was the mission a success?" Rhythmi asked.

_Indeed. I am analyzing the data right now. It's full of encryptions and codes. Mr. Blake Hall has done well to protect the information._

"Any guesses what's in there?"

_Well if my assumptions are correct….no. No I cannot say. Scientific knowledge must not be weighed heavily on such things. I will let you know when the work is complete. Use the communicator, if that is your desire._

"Sure thing." Rhythmi said.

She decided to leave out her little adventure. No one would know about that. EVER. Rhythmi could only manage her usual 'I'll be alright', 'please be careful', etc. She decided to slip in a note that she may provide more information soon and she'd email them right away.

_Message sent. I suggest you retire to your room for the time being. It's been a long day._

"I will." Rhythmi responded.

_Rhythmi. Thank you._

"You're welcome." Rhythmi gave him a warm smile.

On her way out, she heard him say something else. Something that sounded very sweet. Rhythmi blushed as her heart suddenly stirred.

_Rhythmi…I…I will protect you._

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Two gems in the ranger possession, one in Dim Sun's. Things could go either way in the battle of light and darkness. The heated battle would come soon. Dim Sun's plans were getting closer to completion. But even so, there was a loud shout in frustration and shock by the boss that echoed throughout the upper levels of base. Something was about to go down.

Rhythmi sat on the bed, anxiously waiting. She sensed this was around the time Issac would send her in. What was taking him so long?

Click! Whoooosh!

Nevermind! There he is! Rhythmi hopped off the bed in an instant. The hallway no longer bothered her. Took her no time at all to cross! Her good mood was elevated further as she entered the room.

"Hi Issac!" She greeted.

_Rhythmi…._

"What's new?" Rhythmi asked.

_I…I reached a conclusion._

"Oh?" Rhythmi blinked.

_I've been struggling whether to obey orders or…or speak to you. I don't know what to confirm or believe anymore._

Rhythmi frowned. "What's wrong? You don't seem well."

_Rhythm. You must escape this place. You have to go. Right now._

"Escape? What?" Rhythmi was confused. "This is so sudden!"

_The data you got me. I deciphered it. Something terrible is about to happen. The world domination, the legends, the gems…you're a part of those plans. And if Mr. Blake Hall were to keep you here any longer, you'll…no…I can't say…_

"Tell me. Please!" Rhythmi begged.

…_very well. According to my research…._

And so Issac explained everything. Down to the last detail. Rhythmi was a horrid white by the very end. Her knees felt like jelly. It was near impossible to breathe. This plan was horrifying! So evil and dark! Completely sinister!

"I can't…believe it…" Rhythmi whispered, shook up.

_Everything I said is true. Which is why you must flee this place now. And I'll help you._

"But you'll get in trouble!"

_That doesn't matter. Inconsequential. All that matters is your safety._

"Issac…" Rhythmi's eyes watered up.

_They won't find out. I am the base computer. I'll be silent and they'll never know. But you must not be concerned for my well-being. It's important you escape as quickly as possible._

"I will." Rhythmi sighed. "But in case something happens, I should email the rangers and let them know of this plan. They need this info."

_Understood._

Rhythmi started typing. She skipped the usual stuff and went straight to the information. But barely a paragraph was typed when…

"FREEZE! Not another move, operator!"

"Eeeep!"

Rhythmi jumped a little, whirling around to the entrance. Blake was there with two grunts. They entered the room in powerful strides; the leader seemed quite ticked.

"Issac you rotten piece of junk! I know what you're up to, you traitor!" Blake said in an angry tone.

_Mr. Blake Hall…I…._

"Enough!" Blake stopped him. "In a time where anything could go wrong, I never thought my own computer would betray me! Although…I suppose in the end, it won't matter. Cause it ends here and now."

Rhythmi went into a protective stance, shielding Issac from the group. "W-what are you going to do, you…you jerks?"

"Only one thing to do with a malfunctioning computer." Blake smirked. "Shut it down. Erase the memory. Delete all the data that caused the malfunction by cutting the circuitry. Any information on you will be gone. I have to make sure this won't happen again."

My….my programming is normal. I am not malfunctioning.

"Pipe down, Issac! Grunts, go to the opposite sides of the computer drives where the lever and red buttons are. At the same time, pull the lever and press the buttons!" Blake commanded.

"NO!" Rhythmi yelled, panicking.

Click! Pull! Bzzzzzttttttt!

Rhythmi gasped as the electricity in the computer started fading away, shutting off. She looked up at Issac with an anxious expression.

_Message….sent….R…Rhythmi…..I…lo...ve…..y….ou…._

"ISSAC!" Rhythmi screamed.

Too late. The computer screen turned dark and the machines powered down.

Blake laughed. "Looks like Issac is no longer with us."

"YOU MONSTER!" Tears streaming down Rhythmi's face. "H-how could you!"

"Oh stop with the dramatics. He was just a computer." Blake huffed.

"He was more than that! Issac was my friend! He loved me! And I love him!" Rhythmi cried. "YOU INHUMANE BEAST!"

"She's hysterical." Blake sighed. "Grunts, grab her. We have important things for her to do."

"NO!"

Rhythmi tried to fight but the grunts were way to strong. Even as they dragged her out of the room, she kicked and screamed. She was crying so hard she couldn't see anymore. They were right. Rhythmi was in complete hysterics. Dim Sun tore her heart into pieces when they turned off Issac. It felt like the world crashed down on her the second Issac, the computer she realized she truly loved, was taken from her.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Everything happened fairly quickly after that. Rangers discovered the base Dim Sun hid out in was all the way in the far ocean, in a seemingly abandoned tower. Two rangers had been sent in to recover the gem, find any information possible regarding Dim Sun's plans and rescue Rhythmi. Ice guarded the Yellow Gem but was defeated. Thus the rangers secured all three gems. Unfortunately, not much information was obtained and the operator wasn't in the base anymore.

And while the rangers needed to leave, there wasn't a way off the tower island. No staraptors and the boats were all taken by Dim Sun (including the one the rangers took to the place). Calling for a ride could take awhile. Action had to be taken _now_.

"Any luck?"

"Nothing."

"Damn…."

Sven glanced around the area once more. He tipped his hat as he pondered things through.

"No psychic pokemon with teleport abilities anywhere in base. And the styler's not picking up any pokemon in the ocean that can carry us to shore." Sven said. "We're stuck."

"We can't be! There has to be a way!" Keith interjected with a determined tone.

"Oh? Already rarin' to go for the mission ahead?" Sven smirked. "Or could it be that you want to get back to your girlfriend back at base?"

"SHUT UP!" Keith snapped, blushing. "Kate's not my girlfriend! And you'd be concerned if _your_ partner was beaten up as bad as she!"

"True. Kate did take a hit for the operator and got kidnapped by Dim Sun. Gotta give her credit. She's tough." Sven said.

Keith stared at the floor with a dark look, silent. Sven looked to see the elevator nearby.

"Come on. Maybe we can find something in the lower levels." Sven suggested.

"Like scuba gear? Tch…of all the times to leave our aqualungs behind." Keith sighed.

"Today is not our day, is it?" Sven sweatdropped.

Both guys went to the elevator and hit the button to take them to the lowest level they could go. The lights were starting to flicker and dim; with the place abandoned, it wouldn't keep up on power for much longer. If there was a way out, the top rangers had to find it fast. Keith and Sven exited the elevator. One place led to a locker room with cluttered storage, a bed and a bathroom. Nothing important or helpful. Onto the next room.

It was too dark to see at first.

Zzzzt….

Lights turned on but were flickering, a bit hazy. Whirring sounds soon followed as the machines slowly lit up. Then came the monitor, which came to life. Keith and Sven carefully stepped forward, looking around for an answer.

_You two…you are rangers, are you not?_

Both cringed at the sudden voice. Was it….?

"Um…hello?" Keith spoke up. "Where are you?"

_Here…._

It came from the computer! The guys were shocked that it could talk! But it sounded weak, like it was exhausted and fading.

_Nice to….meet…you…..I am the main computer of this base. I am Issac._

"Issac? Rhythmi mentioned someone named Issac was helping her gather information." Sven remembered.

_Yes. I….am that same Issac. I have to tell you….something. Something important. R…Rhythmi…_

KGGTTTHHHHHH!

Static appeared on the computer screen for a split moment.

"Are you ok?" Keith asked. "Sound a little…um…"

_I am….I am s….so sorry….most of my data was erased. My…my main power unit was shut down and de…destroyed. Now r…running on backup power. Using whatever wasn't damaged….to stay….operational…._

Sounded rough. If computers could feel pain, then Issac would be in agony. And yet it sounded as if he was. Neither ranger was sure how but something told them there was more to the computer than meets the eye.

_R…rangers. Both of you know that Rhythmi….Rhythmi is not here. Right?_

"Right." Sven nodded.

_Please save Rhythmi. Please….please….I beg of you…she…she was taken to Altru Tower by Mr. Blake Ha…..Hall. Hurry before they…before it's too late…._

KGGTH! KGGTTHH! KGGTTTTTTHHHHHH!

More static. Issac seemed to be losing his hold.

_My backup power….f…failing….not mu….ch….time._

"We'll save Rhythmi. Ranger's promise." Keith told him. "But first we need to find a way off this tower."

_Use…the teleporter….three floors up….to…to get back to Al…mia. I will…unlock the room…for you. _

KGGGTTTHHHH!

Another static pause.

_Pl…please hurry. Barely enough…power. I will cease…all functions and send….the….po…wer….to the teleporter. For you…_

"Wait. What's going to happen to you?" Sven asked.

_When my power….is gone…I will cease to ex…ist…as an artificial consciousness._

"You mean you die?" Keith translated.

_If it saves Rhythmi….I'll do it. I would gladly…give…myself….for her happiness. Till I met h…er, I knew nothing of….human experiences. Such as…l…love…_

Love? Keith and Sven were a bit surprised that Issac could understand what it was. Seemed something out of a sci-fi movie.

_Do not…worry about m…me. I am only a computer. Just….a…machine. Rangers, please. I…ask of you….save…Rhythmi…tell her…thank you…from….me…._

"We will, Issac." Sven said.

_Hurry….to the teleporter room. Now. Save…her…._

KGGGGTTHHHHH! ZZZZZT!

There was static before the monitor and screens shut off completely. Now the lights turned into an eerie red that bathed the entire tower in its glow. Really creepy. The guys instantly rushed off. They rode the elevator to the floor with the teleporter room. Sven pressed the button before he and Keith jumped to the platform. Energy levels were weak but just enough to get them out of there. And right on time too. A bright white light enveloped the base as the rangers were transported out.

_Rhythmi….farewell…._

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Events of all kinds took place at the tower. Rangers got past the traps set inside and raced up, taking on challenges along the way. They encountered Blake at the top, who held Rhythmi hostage as per diabolical plans. What plans? The author won't spoil it for you. Let's just say that the dark crystal's true power was not to be underestimated; even by Blake himself. With the power of the Three Gems and everyone's deepest desire for peace, the darkness was overcome with light. Dim Sun was eliminated completely. Almia was ushered into a new era of harmony. Everything would soon be back to normal.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Flash forward a little bit later, at the Dim Sun ocean tower. It wasn't destroyed. But it was in ruins now. Walls and floors were crumbling piece by piece. Very dangerous place now. Some of the pokemon were still trapped so rangers were sent to help out. As well as someone else who tagged along.

"I have to." Rhythmi answered. "I can't rest easy until I do this."

"Alright. Do what you need to."

"We're here for ya, Rhyth."

"Let us know when you're done, kay?"

Rhythmi gave a nod before separating from the group. The elevator no longer worked so she used the stairs (odd how that didn't come up before). It was tricky to maneuver past fallen debris and clutter to get to the lower levels. Nearly impossible to get to the bottom. The room where Rhythmi was held had been obliterated. But it wasn't the room she wanted to go to. It was the other one.

With slow steps, the operator pushed the doors aside and went inside. It was almost completely dark. One hole in the roof that let down a single ray of sunshine, like a spotlight. Rhythmi could see the room was destroyed for the most part. Machines smashed, light fixtures broken and the computer had a crack across its screen.

Standing in the sunlight, Rhythmi looked up at the computer before her. Not that long ago that same computer had been where her best friend was. Issac had been here. He existed in this world for only a short time. At first, he was a computer. But in the end, Issac became much more than that. He understood human experiences including the most important of them all; love.

"I can't believe he's gone…" Rhythmi thought, shivering.

Her heart was broken beyond repair. She knew that she had fallen in love with him. Issac was there for her when she needed it. He was an amazing friend who cared for her and lightened up her time spent in the Dim Sun base. Memories flashed through Rhythmi's head; dancing, undercover missions, the chats….everything.

Rhythmi's breath grew shaky as she pulled something from her pocket. A red rose. She placed it on top of the keyboard as one would put flowers over a grave. Grave…this really was Issac's resting place of sorts. Issac was gone. He'd never come back.

"Issac…" Rhythmi whispered, tears slipping past her cheeks. "I…I feel so alone when you're not here. Please come back….please…"

In the midst of the dark room, Rhythmi fell to the ground, buried her face in her hands and cried. Cried all the emotions from her system. The pain intensified, feeling as though the air was crushing her. It hurt terribly; the feeling of loss for someone she loved dearly. If only she had more time with him. To dance again, to smile with him near, to hear his voice. But never again would Rhythmi have those joys. For awhile, she did nothing but mourn the death of her dear friend.

"Hello Rhythmi."

Rhythmi stopped crying. She turned to the side to see someone bending down to meet her eye-level, smiling.

"N-no way…" Rhythmi gasped. "I-I-Issac?"

It…it was! Same blond mushroom hair, same attire he always wore and the same blue eyes that seemed to be brighter than ever.

"ISSAC!"

Rhythmi leapt straight into him. She was feeling an overwhelming amount of emotions as she landed into the arms of her love. More tears came forth but they came with a smile.

"You're alive! And….and…" The blonde girl realized something. "Y-you're not…"

Not a hologram! No technology attached, no machinery or computers. Issac had skin. His warmth was more than that provided by a machine. It was real. Issac became human!

Issac smiled gently. "I'm no longer a computer. I've become a living person like you."

"But how?" Rhythmi quietly asked, amazed.

"I'm not quite sure." Issac answered. "When my last remaining energy left me, the tower bomb system was triggered. The base exploded and I was destroyed in the wreckage. I was sure I had left this world."

He paused. Issac looked up at the hole where the sunshine came through as if thinking something deep.

"I remember seeing a bright white light and being surrounded by warmth my circuits never felt before. Yet it felt like I had no electronic parts of any kind. It was just my consciousness." Issac went on. "I don't know how or why…but I woke up and found something was different. I had become completely human."

Rhythmi hugged him tight. Felt so much better to do with an actual body than a hologram of one. Issac wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"I know what love is, Rhythmi. And I know I love you. I think I had since I first saw you. Even if I didn't quite understand the concept." Issac confessed. "My wish was to be with you and to make you happy. Have I done well?"

"Better than that." Rhythmi murmured. "I love you too, Issac."

She reached up to kiss him on the lips. Issac wasn't sure what to make of this at first. But he succumbed to the power of his emotions and returned the kiss as well. So soft and beautiful; better than one could ever hope a kiss would be. They pulled apart and stared into the other's eyes.

Hand in hand, they escaped the ruins of the tower together to meet with the other rangers. As they walked back into sunshine, they both knew the next chapter of their lives would be written together. The story of a once-kidnapped operator and a computer whose love for her turned him human.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Chia: ….I AM NOT CRYING! *grabs tissues* I'm only upset cause the story's too freaking long!**

***sweatdrop* Took me longer than intended to finish! I hope you guys liked it! Next update should be fairly soon. **

**Chia: YOU BAKA! *sniffle* Making a story like that! I-it's…so….waaaahhhh!**

**Note, if you didn't know, baka means idiot in Japanese. Also I rewrote the ending to Paper Mario Thousand Year Door to make it more romantic and emotional. Why not give our blonde damsel a happy ending? I suggest playing the game or, if you can't, watch the play-through videos on youtube. Yotube channel Chuggaconroy gets chapter dedication for helping me look up those cut scenes and references needed. **


	5. On Your Mark

**Chia: Aren't you supposed to be working on the main story update?**

**Look what I found! *points to computer screen***

**Chia: ….anime?**

**Not just anime! It's 'On Your Mark' by Chage & Aska with the music video by Hayao Miyazaki! I found the video after youtube took the original down! And Itunes now has the song!**

**Chia: Damn Itunes.…we'll be stuck listening to that for who knows how long?**

**So I took the music video's plot and rewrote it into pokemon ranger theme! I'm probably the only one who's done a crossover of it so far. Only two people have ever done fanfics on this and it's been years since they were both completed. No crossovers of this anywhere. **

**Chia: Cause the song's lame?**

**YOU'RE LAME! *cries and runs off***

**Chia: Read, review and enjoy? *sweatdrop* SKY! Don't leave me to end the introductions solo!**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

In an alternate dimension of Pokemon, their Almia is quite different from the Almia you all know. See, you know of the Almia that's peaceful and kept that way by rangers. The other Almia didn't have rangers. Instead there was a defense force who fought with pokemon and their bare fists (with occasional weapon help, should it be needed). The defense force was known for being strict with crime, evil and wrong-doings. As they should be, considering the other Almia's state of affairs.

Team Rocket was experimenting in Almia at the time; a secret base located where the Chroma Highlands would normally be. And the experiments conducted had gone horribly wrong. Before the defense force could do anything, there was a nuclear meltdown. The entire valley was blown up with people and pokemon dying. Even worse, there were high levels of radiation that flooded all over the place. It was slowly spreading towards Pueltown and it would engulf the entire mainland of Almia. When overexposed, people and pokemon would be poisoned, dying a slow death.

There were many debates on what to do about the disaster. Studies showed that simply cleaning up the radiation wouldn't make it any better. The strong amounts of toxicity would near to be weakened first. And it wouldn't start to wear off for at least 25 years. Haruba and Boyleland couldn't contain every single citizen. Even they had their limits. Neighboring regions wouldn't accept Almians out of fear of contamination. Any region that did accept them was too far and only a few dared to leave for such a long way. No way anyone would be able to live in this stuff. It was soon that a plan came into creation. To build a temporary protection metropolis for the living beings until it was safe to clean the radiation up. And so work began.

People and Pokemon were evacuated to Chicole Village while construction took place in Vientown. The little country town was surrounded by hundreds of feet in metal, titanium, platinum and concrete (with some added materials in between). Floors were sculpted into the walls to create living spaces resembling apartments. In the center would be split; half for the pokemon and half for humans. The pokemon got a replica of Vien Forest for them to live in. Humans used the remaining space to build skyscrapers for shops, care facilities, etc. The vast city was built like Sootpolis but unlike the Hoenn area, this place was sealed off by a clear dome for protection. Sunlight would be provided during normal hours and, when it couldn't be used, electricity would take its place (eco-friendly, by the way). It all seemed to come from a scifi movie.

But it was do-able. The new home of Almia, now called Vien City, was complete. Just in time too. Half of the Vien Forest was covered in radiation. Everyone moved into their new homes in Vien City. Hard to adjust at first but everyone got the jest eventually.

Time passed.

Enough time where the whole 'radiation explosion' was way in the past but it was still too early to go back to Almian soil.

Life had grown and prospered in Vien City. They still kept in touch with the world with television, phone calls and such. Some stuff was imported and exported but it was tricky what with the situation. If anyone dared leave, they wore de-contamination suits and took special care in making sure the radiation didn't strike them. And they never would come back to this poisoned place.

Of course it wasn't to say that bad things didn't happen inside the city walls as well. Which was why the Defense Force set up a base to keep things under control. Their assistance helped the community quite a bit, even if the methods were a bit unorthodox sometimes.

Yeah…life went on. Living beings were born, living beings died. In the middle, they enjoyed life with what they had and assumed everything was perfectly normal.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Hover car planes blasted the sirens as they tore through the city. They were coming up on the downtown area of Vien City, the busiest place. There they made their way to a tall building with neon lights that flashed like crazy. There was a purple logo with the words 'For a bright future' were underneath it. Ironic since that was the hide out of Dim Sun, an evil pokemon organization striving for a world of darkness.

A few planes swirled around the tower while two of them crashed head on into the base. Dim Sun grunts in pruple & black uniforms screamed, running away from the wreckage in a panic. From the planes came units of the Defense Force. Their uniforms were padded red jackets zipped up, black jeans, white helmets and thick goggles with a mouthpiece (similar to the other Almia's aqualung). Dim Sun, recognizing these people, were either fleeing or trying to fight back. Pokemon were sent into chaotic battles all over the place.

Within the chaos was one solider of the Defense Force, Keith. He and his buizel were charging into this mess, confident they could tackle any challenge coming their way. At their side were Crawford and his budew. The two had been best friends for years; since their training days at school. Now they were a team who conquered over wrongdoings and brought justice to Almia.

"HIT THE DECK!"

Keith jumped and crashed himself plus his friend to the ground.

KABOOM!

An electrode had been thrown into the air, exploding right above the pair. Both guys shielded themselves from the flying bits and flames.

"Whew! Thanks dude! I owe ya one!" Crawford sweatdropped.

"No prob." Keith nodded. "Better get moving!"

Both agents jumped to their feet and ran ahead. Most of the force were focused on taking out the Dim Sun grunts or apprehending their leaders. Keith and Crawford decided to go further in to take out more areas where more jerks could be hiding.

"Let's do this!"

"_Bui!"_

"_Dew dew!"_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Awhile later, more force soldiers arrived at the scene. Many were in the squad cars hovering above while others went into the base. Dim Sun grunts were either wounded or killed. Those who were alive were put under arrest and placed within the ships. Pokemon were taken to the Pokemon Center.

Keith and Crawford were with several other soldiers in one of the rooms. It was nothing but cold cement. And dead bodies. Lots of dead bodies. It was sickening to see that so many innocent people and pokemon were kidnapped by Dim Sun, tortured, then murdered. The scent of blood was heavy in this air. Made Keith feel sick to his stomach.

Crawford put a hand on his shoulder. "Sucks doesn't it?"

"Not what I imagined being a Defense solider would be about." Keith muttered.

"Bui!" Buizel tugged Keith's pant leg. "Buizel bui!"

Across the room, in a far corner, buizel pointed at something. Keith walked past the corpses to see that, behind a mess of tech stuff, was a metal door. The solider turned the handle and walked inside. It was a dark room with all sorts of junk; cardboard boxes, soda cans, cinderblocks. Blood was stained on the wall. There was a large bundle lying by the wall in the back. Crawford and budew covered the entrance, looking to make sure Dim Sun wasn't sneaking about, while Keith and buizel inspected what the thing was. Keith took his mask and helmet off, revealing his spiky red hair and auburn eyes. Had to get a better look at this.

A girl. An unconscious girl about his age with brown spiky pigtails. Her skin was nearly as white as the summer dress she wore. Crawford and budew came over to look. The solider pulled off his own mask; a light brown afro underneath along with dark brown eyes.

"What's that on her back?" Crawford asked.

"I think it's some kind of blanket." Keith responded.

The redhead tried to lift the blanket off. Only, it wasn't a blanket. They were clumps of shining feathers that seemed to connect to the back. As if they were….

"Holy arceus, she has wings!" Keith exclaimed.

"No way!" Crawford gasped.

Keith pressed his fingers to her wrist and leaned in close. "I feel a pulse and there's some breathing. She's barely hanging on."

"Seems dehydrated too." Crawford noticed. "Soda's not gonna cut it."

"She'll need medical attention." Keith said.

The red haired solider carefully lifted the young angel girl into his arms before tearing through the building with Crawford and the pokemon. No one resisted them; the force had gotten the place under their control. And no one dared to stop them when they're in determined mode. There weren't any medical personnel around since they were busy transporting people & pokemon all over the place. No need to wait, though. Keith had to take things into his own hands.

"Hey, you think these creeps have a kitchen somewhere nearby?" He asked, looking around.

"Probably. If they've got dorm rooms, then they're bound to have a kitchen." Crawford replied. "Let's try that way."

It was about ten minutes of intense searching, scrambling past soldiers and running around before the small kitchen was found. Bonus; it was already cleared out of Dim Sun and soldiers so no one would intervene. Keith sat down at a table, exhausted. He looked down at the girl. In this light, she looked sort of pretty.

"You think she's human?" Keith asked.

"Hm?" Crawford was running through the fridge. "Hard to say. But she doesn't deserve this kind of treatment. Poor kid."

"Yeah…" Keith sighed.

He found a handkerchief and had buizel use a water gun on it. The wet cloth was placed on the angel girl's head.

"No idea whether those are crafted onto her skin or if she was born that way. But it definitely seems like she's not from this place. Something doesn't add up here." Crawford said. "Aha! Look what I found!"

The afro solider grinned as he showed Keith an unopened waterbottle. Keith felt a little relief at the find. Better yet, there was a straw in one of the drawers. Crawford opened the bottle, placed the straw in it and handed it to Keith. Keith gripped the bottle in one hand as his other cradeled the girl. He placed the draw in her mouth, coaxing her to drink. Almost instantly, the girl unconsciously reacted by sipping it down.

"There we go!" Crawford said with a small, cheerful laugh.

Keith smiled as the sips turned to gulps. The angel was trying to quench her thirst so rapidly, it'd look like she'd choke. But she didn't. In fact, she seemed to want more. Crawford fetched another bottle which she drank almost as quick. Keith watched her skin get a little more color and face relax. Already the girl appeared to be recovering.

"Nnngg…"

With a small moan, the girl opened her eyes halfway. Keith was breathless as he looked into her eyes. Light sparkled and danced within her beautiful blue eyes; like clouds in a summer sky.

"Well I'll be." Crawford said, surprised but happy to see her awake.

"W-where…am I?" The girl quietly asked.

Such a sweet voice. Keith thought it sounded like wind chimes.

"No worries. You're safe and you're going to be alright." Crawford assured. "I'm Private Crawford Chage and this is Private Keith Aska."

"Er yeah!" Keith snapped from his daze. "Are you feeling alright?"

The girl looked up at Keith with curiosity. She gave him a nod and a small smile that made Keith melt.

"A little better. Thank you." The girl finally answered.

"Glad to hear it." Keith said.

"So do you have a name or are you just called angel?" Crawford asked.

"Kate." The angel responded. "M…my name is Kate…"

"Good fit for you." Keith commented. "Um well then Kate, do you know what happened?"

Kate was about to respond when she paused. Her eyes slowly closed shut and her body became limp. She was unconscious again. Probably was too weak to stay awake for long. Though Keith and Crawford were doing alright, they'd probably need a hospital for her. But before they could react…

"There you are!"

Two men entered the kitchen. They wore puffy white suits that made them look like marshmallow sumo wrestlers. But despite the strange uniforms, they meant serious business. These people were the decontamination group. Soon enough, more of these guys started coming in. Keith barely registered what was happening. Kate was pulled from his arms and taken from him.

"W-wait! What are you doing!" Keith stammered.

"She's placed under our jurisdiction." The leader answered. "We need to decontaminate her of any chemicals and toxins from the body."

"But she needs medical attention!" Keith told them, concerned about how they'd treat Kate.

"And she'll get it. Once she's cleaned up and our scientists do some checking around." The leader said.

"She needs it now!" Keith objected.

"Yeah! Can't you wait till she's better? When she can talk and tell you what's up?" Crawford offered.

"Hey you're just the soldiers. You handle your stuff, we handle this." The leader responded with a snarky attitude.

Kate was being carried by the group. Keith and Crawford followed them up the stairs, to the roof of the building. They watched helplessly as the angel was placed into a body bag and taken into one of the hover-car planes. Keith's gaze didn't leave the plane as it rode off through the city, even when it was out of sight. His heart was heavy with a feeling of loss.

"You alright?" Crawford asked.

"Bui…" Buizel looked up at his partner with concern.

Keith sighed. "…this isn't right. They can't take her like this."

"You really like her, don't you?" The afro ranger questioned.

For a while, Keith was quiet. He still stared into the city where the plane vanished.

"There's something about her." Redhead whispered. "I just…I….one look at her and I don't know what's right or what's wrong anymore."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Hours flew by.

Long after the mission was over and everything was situated, Keith and Crawford went over to one of their favorite restaurants to hang out. After a day like that, they needed a break. They practically collapsed in their usual booth upon coming in. Crawford ordered the usual for himself and the pokemon. Keith was fine with just water.

"You've been quiet all day." Crawford said as he slurped some ramen noodles.

Keith sipped some of his water.

"Still upset over what happened?" The afro ranger questioned.

SLAM!

The glass was slammed onto the table angrily. Keith's face held a dark expression.

"What do you think?" He bitterly muttered. "That sweet girl's being taken away for decontamination, if you can believe that. Those bastards are probably going to do all sorts of painful tests and experimentations to find out what she is. And who says they'll stop there?"

"You think we've been lied to too, hm?" Crawford sighed. "I suspected something was up."

"_Dew budew."_ Budew seemed to agree.

Keith stared down at his water glass. Water. It brought Kate from the brink of death at that moment. With such a basic element, he helped save that angel. With those looks and cute personality, it wasn't too hard to believe that Kate was an actual angel. Something out of a fairy tale. Though they met for such a short time, Keith felt a connection to the girl. A strong one that made his heart beat stronger than before.

Defense Force soldiers had no say in what the decontamination crew and scientists did. While they were semi-collaborating, neither could partake in the others affairs. Which meant by law, Keith was forced to let the decontamination people do what they wanted. If they wanted to experiment, they'd go ahead and do it.

Kate didn't deserve to have the life of a lab-rattata. She should fly in the skies happy and carefree. A smile should be worn on that delicate face of hers. Which sparked an idea into Keith's head. There'd be severe consequences for what would be done but he didn't care. To hell with that. All that mattered was Kate.

"I know that look." Crawford spoke, spooning up some broth. "You're about to do something completely crazy. Something dangerous that only an insane person would do. And there's zero chance of you being talked out of it."

The dude was a freaking mind reader. But then again, they knew each other for quite some time.

"Is it about Kate?" Crawford assumed.

Keith nodded.

A smirk crossed his face. "I'm in."

"Really?" Keith blinked.

"Of course! We swore we'd right any injustice and protect lives from harm! Kate's situation counts as such! We'll set her free!" Crawford said.

"Thanks dude." Keith smiled.

"Hey. I owe you one anyway for that electrode blast." Crawford joked. "We better get started right away."

Leaving the money on the table, the guys and their pokemon left the restaurant and started to brainstorm plans on getting Kate back.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

A course of action had been decided. Once Kate was gotten out, she'd be taken outside Vien City. True it was still radioactive but the guys figured they wouldn't stay long. Just enough time for them to release Kate, make sure she flies away ok and then back to the city before they get sick. Still, Keith felt even if he was sick, he'd do this for her.

Getting Kate out of the bad guys lair? That would be the harder part. Keith was good at computer hacking, luckily, so he'd try to hack into the system for Kate's whereabouts. Crawford knew about tech gear. He decided to create a device that would deactivate the machines used at the hideout. Plus some programming hacks for any locked doors with encrypted codes.

"Yo!"

After long hours, Crawford came to the desk where Keith worked.

"Look what I got!" Crawford sang, showing him the device.

"Well I'll be damned." Keith grinned. "There really is a brain inside that afro."

Crawford rolled his eyes. "Any luck on finding your special lady?"

"_Excuse_ me?" Keith stared at him in disbelief.

"What?" Crawford smiled mischievously. "Something I said?"

Keith resisted the urge to strangle him and instead typed more hacks into the network server. Progress hadn't gone well at first. The decontamination unit used to be one central building but over the past few years, they split into a few. So while they found info on Kate, they had trouble trying to track which unit she was in.

"How's Kate holding up?" Crawford asked.

"Not good. We freed her from prison only to have those jerks take her to hell." Keith grumbled. "They took some blood and DNA samples but now they're trying to read her energy levels. And with the device they're using, it's going to be agony for the poor girl."

Crawford inspected the computer for notes on that machine, cringing. "No kidding. They could kill her with this!"

"Yeah but they won't." Keith typed away. "They'll keep bringing to the brink of death in their stupid tests and make her suffer. All for the 'sake of science'. Which is why we're busting her out."

A new screen pulled up. The redhead inspected it. He took a look at the floor plans and side notes. Then came a smile.

"Dude. Get the pokemon. I found her."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Because of the science crew and Defense Force being semi-partners, it wasn't hard to get into the base. Keith and Crawford flashed some ID's, telling the people at the front desk they were doing a routine inspection. Just to make sure working conditions for the scientists were alright and to check up on any scientific progress.

No one noticed either soldier casually walking down the hallway. Keith noticed there were a lot of people in the upper levels but almost none at all in the lower quarters. There was a lab at the bottom of the base but with its high radioactivity exposure, all personnel needed to wear decontamination suits. That worked to their advantage since no one would recognize the soldiers in those suits. So Keith and Crawford went to a changing area between floors and got themselves the uniforms. Even the pokemon got their little mini decontamination outfits.

"Pfft. You look so stupid with that on." Crawford snickered.

"I should say the same to you." Keith responded. "Got the device?"

"Here." Crawford took it from his pocket. "Budew? Buizel? You two ready?"

"_Bui bui!"_

"_Budew!"_

Both pokemon saluted. All four charged forth, ready for action. They soon came to the door that would lead into the computer lab. Crawford nodded, giving the pokemon their signal. The pokemon snuck inside without any trouble. Keith knew what to expect. Budew's sleeping powder followed with a blast of buizel's razor wind. The combo would give a focused blast towards the scientists who would fall asleep instantly. And despite the suits, the moves would still work and hit the targets no problem.

"_Buizel buizel!"_

There was buizel's signal. Safe to come inside. Keith and Crawford stepped over the sleeping bodies and opened the door in the back. There was a short hallway bathed in the glow of a dark red light. It led to the room where Kate was kept. Keith's eyes widened at the sight of his angel trapped inside that…that horrid machine. A tall mechanic instrument that held Kate in midair within a glass tube. The red light appeared to be absorbing her energy.

"These readings are off the chart!" Crawford exclaimed, looking at his device.

"Save her!" Keith urged.

"Working on it!" Crawford fiddled with the device. "Almost! Just a little more….there!"

The light shut off. Kate was set down. Keith couldn't even wait; he climbed the machine to the very top. He saw the unconscious angel resting on the cold sheet of metal. Barely breathing. As pale as she was when he first saw her but now with dark bruises. Keith felt his heart shatter at the very sight.

"Ok I think I can get the glass to open up." Crawford said, tapping into his machine. "But it'll take some time to…"

SMASH!

With one sweep of the hand and a rusty pipe, Keith smashed the glass to pieces. He threw himself over Kate to prevent her from any further injuries.

"…or there's that." Crawford sweatdropped.

Before either could celebrate, the room was encased in a red glow again. Sirens popped out from the walls.

"You tripped the security!" Crawford groaned.

"How was I supposed to know that would happen?" Keith snapped.

"Grab the girl and let's get out of here!" Crawford shouted over the noise.

Keith scooped Kate into his arms. As the sirens grew louder, he held the girl close and took a daring leap back to the ground. He joined Crawford and the pokemon as they ran through the halls of the base. Scientists were still out cold. No guards in sight but there would be soon enough. No point in disguise now. Crawford was the first to rip off his decontamination suit with the pokemon following his lead. Keith had a bit more of a struggle since he carried the angel but managed to get out of his own too.

"You know where to go?" Crawford asked.

"Yep! Studied the map last night and there's a garage full of cars just around the corner!" Keith replied.

"And here you used to hate studying." Crawford smirked.

Keith stuck his tongue out at him. They soon made it to the garage. No one else around. Good. Although they'd get company soon enough. Crawford used the device to hack & open the doors to one of the cars. It was a hover car but with jet engines that made it glide over the road. When on full power, it could fly in the air for a short period of time. Good to have for emergencies. Keith handed Crawford the angel as they both boarded the truck. Redhead found himself taking the drivers seat.

"Step on it, driver!" Crawford whooped.

"Gladly!" Keith chuckled.

The hover car sped from the garage and into a long tunnel. As they traveled down it, there came a soft noise. Keith glanced at the review mirror and felt butterflies in his stomach.

"…wha? What's going on?" Kate sleepily rubbed her eyes.

"Breaking you out, kiddo." Crawford replied cheerfully. "And we're almost there!"

Kate looked over to Keith's seat with fascination. Keith was having a hard time paying attention to the road what with those bright eyes of hers.

"I'm glad to see you're ok." He said. "You're not injured?"

Kate shook her head. "No. Thanks for saving me. Again."

"We vow to protect those from danger, save those who are harmed and right wrongs. I would never let those maniacs get away with harming you." Keith told her.

"Awww! Keith's got a girlfriend!" Crawford teased.

"OH SHUT UP!" Keith snapped, blushing a deep crimson hue.

Crawford laughed. Kate smiled as she hugged buizel and budew like stuffed animals (both loved the attention). There was a bright light and then…bam! They were out! The hover car was traveling down an open highway around the city. Everyone was feeling good about the whole mission.

…until more sirens pierced the air.

"Uh oh." Keith took a deep breath, seeing Defense Force cars chasing them.

"Should've forseen this." Crawford muttered. "They're never gonna let us go easily."

"I'm sorry!" Kate squeaked, scared.

Keith gave her a warm smile. "Don't worry. We accepted the consequences and threats before taking this quest on. I'll do whatever it takes to get you free."

One Defense Force car came from behind the hover car while another was in front, flying right above them. Classic trick. The 'boxed in' method. They'd trap this car to prevent the gang from getting any farther. If they succeeded, then the mission was screwed.

"They're closing in on us." Crawford warned.

"Like hell they will." Keith mumbled some curses. "They can't catch me so easily."

Keith stepped on the gas as hard as he could. The car sped up but the Defense Force car did as well. The two cars were closing in on each other. Soon they collided, scratching the other up and pushing along the side of the highway bridge. The bridge itself soon started to crumble…

KABOOOOOOOM!

In the end, the Defense Force car was the one that lost the battle. It exploded in a fiery blast and took out most of the bridge. The stolen hover car was flown from the road and into the air. It started falling at incredible speeds.

"Crawford! Activate the jets!" Keith shouted.

"I'm trying! They need a code to unlock and my device is damaged!" Crawford quickly messed with his invention and the car. "Come on, darn you! Work!"

Damn it! Crawford's attempts weren't going so well. And it'd be mere minutes, possibly less, before they'd reach the ground miles below. Keith had no choice. He opened the window, pulled Kate into his arms and climbed onto the roof.

"Keith! What are you…?" Kate tried to ask.

Keith stared into the girl's eyes with a serious expression. "Kate, you have to get away from here!"

"Wha...? K-Keith!" Kate stared at him with a terrified look.

"You can fly away! You'll have a chance at life!" Keith insisted. "Please, I beg of you. Don't stay. Fly!"

"I can't do that!" Kate shook her head. "I'm not leaving you to die! Not after all you've done to save me!"

Keith took Kate by the waist and lifted her up. As he was about to let go, Kate grasped onto his arm with a tight grip. No matter how much Keith tried to shake her away, the girl didn't let go.

"No Keith please!" Tears formed on the edge of her blue eyes. "I'm not leaving you!"

Keith felt his heart stop as he realized Kate was serious. She wasn't going to try saving herself. If they died, Kate would die with them. She was with them till the very end. And that may be very soon. The car was hurtling down even faster now. Barely any time was left before impact. Keith stared at the face of the angel. If he was going to die, he would be blessed with seeing that gorgeous face for the last time.

"GOT IT!"

Crawford whoop'ed just as the car vibrated suddenly. Jets appeared from within the tires of the car. Keith and Kate smiled wide as the car stopped falling. They were saved!

"Great job, Crawford!" Keith praised as he and Kate got back inside the car.

"All in a day's work!" Crawford sweatdropped. "I kinda freaked out back there."

"As did we." Keith sighed, relieved.

The hover car sped through the air at very high speeds. Odd how it wasn't turning or how it barely avoided obstacles. And how it was getting dangerously close to the apartments.

"Uh buddy?" Keith gulped. "Anytime you'd like to turn would be great…"

"I can't."

"….what?"

"I said I can't."

Keith fell over in his seat. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T!"

"In my attempts to hack the car and override the controls, I glitched the mechanisms! This car is unstoppable and unturnable!" Crawford chuckled nervously.

"Do something!" Keith yelled.

"Oh I will be. Hang onto something!" Crawford called.

What? It seemed like he was going even faster and heading straight for the…oh arcues he wouldn't. Keith cringed as each blinding second made him realize Crawford was actually going to attempt this. He held Kate and the Pokemon close as he waited for…

CRASH!

…yep. Right into the apartment building. Into someone's room.

"Everyone alive?" Crawford called.

"Barely." Keith glared at him. "Where the hell did you learn to drive?"

"Hey flee now, judging later!" Crawford said. "We need to find a new set of wheels!"

Right. Pokemon hopped onto their partner's heads as everyone climbed from the hover car in a hurry. The people in the apartment hallways stared in complete shock. The guys waved and yelled out a few 'sorry's as they ran off. Kate clung to Keith's arm as they fled the scene.

Not hard to find a ride. There was a sports car with the top down. A little hot wiring and it was set to go. Keith drove it down the highway and through the tunnel that would lead out the city. Signs above glowed warnings such as 'Beware of Sunlight' and 'Survival not Guaranteed'. Neither scared the guys. They knew well in advance what was ahead.

There was a light at the end of the tunnel. And then…there we are! Freedom! Nothing but the road and Almia ahead. Keith looked around as he drove by. After the nuclear explosion and radiation stuff, the plants were said to be losing their color and not thriving as well. Now? There was greenery. As if nature was trying to cleanse itself from the poisoning and start anew. While it wasn't completely safe to live out here, Almia would soon be itself again.

"It's awesome out here." Keith sighed.

"Makes you forget it's contaminated out here." Crawford agreed.

"Are you sure you don't get sick from being here?" Kate asked.

"Nah. We're cool." Crawford reassured. "Not like we'll be exposed for too long."

Keith saw abandoned houses and buildings as they drove by the scenic towns. He could almost imagine the people and pokemon living there once more.

"Time for you to go, Kate."

Crawford's voice pulled Keith out of la-la land.

"Go?" Kate tipped her head. "But…but I…"

"You don't want your freedom?" Keith asked.

"It's not just that." Kate shook her head. "I don't want to leave you two. You're the bestest friends an angel could ask for. You've done so much to help me."

"I'd do anything for you, Kate." Keith gave her a gentle smile. "And while I want you to stay with us, it's time you go out and enjoy your freedom. That was our goal from the start."

Kate stared at Keith with mixed emotions; sadness, grateful, hopeful and something else that seemed familiar. Crawford started helping her stand up and spread her wings. The angel started flying but was clumsy at first. She held onto Crawford's hand for support.

"I'll miss you." Kate told Keith, eyes watering up.

"And I'll miss you too." Keith responded. "But I promise that we'll meet up again. This won't be the last time I see you."

"You promise?" Kate tested.

"Swear on my life." Keith winked.

"Good luck out there, kid." Crawford said.

"_Buizel! Bui bui!" _

"_Budew! Dew dew dew!"_

Smiling, Kate wiped the tears from her eyes. "I think I feel the same way. I can't wait for the day when I'll see you again, Keith. Thanks for everything."

Slowly, her hand let go of Crawford's. Kate soared above them, catching a ride with the wind. At last she was back in the sky where she belonged. Her angel wings took her high up, far into the clouds. The car reached the sea on the edge of what was Chicole village. Keith stopped it and got out, watching Kate soar over the ocean and into the distance. He watched nature's wonder long after she was past the horizon.

"Well then. That takes care of that." Crawford sighed. "What an adventure."

"You said it." Keith sighed happily.

"So now what?" Crawford pondered out loud. "Go back to Vien City and get ourselves thrown in jail?"

Keith was silent. A soft breeze tussled his spiky hair.

"Crawford? How much gas is in the car?" The redhead questioned.

Crawford blinked. "Full tank. Why?"

"I think it's time I spread my wings too." Keith grinned.

"Wait do you mean…?"

"Yep. I'm leaving Almia." Keith said, then faced his best friend. "I joined the Defense Force so I could protect the lives of people and pokemon. And now seeing Almia, I feel like I should protect the environment as well. To prevent tragedies such as the radiation accident. Being a solider to that team wasn't what I envisioned."

Keith paused. Images of Kate flashed through his head.

"I want to explore the world. I'll help those in need and right any wrongs." Keith went on. "One day, when I see Kate again, I want to show her the world I've helped to improve. If she can overcome any obstacle and fly like that, then so can I."

Crawford listened with a blank expression. But after absorbing the info, a hopeful expression crossed his face.

"Then we better get going before the radiation gets us." He said.

"You're going to come with me?" Keith blinked.

"Friends to the end, dude." Crawford fist-pumped. "I'm not letting you take all this on your own."

"Thanks." Keith nodded.

"_Buizel bui!"_

"_Budew! Dew dew budew!"_

Even the pokemon seemed to be onboard with the idea. That settled it. Everyone got back in the car. Crawford took the wheel this time. Activating the jets, he flew the car over the ocean and out of Almia. No more threat on radiation poisoning.

"So where are you driving us?" Keith asked.

"Haruba. We'll catch a boat from there to take us to Sinnoh." Crawford explained. "My older brother left Almia a few years ago to escape Vien City life and become a pokemon trainer. He can help us out."

"Oh yeah. I remember you talking about him." Keith said. "Are you sure he won't mind?"

"Flint's always trying to get me out of Almia; offering to help in any way he can. He'll be thrilled that I decided to leave." Crawford assured. "We'll give him a call once we reach Haruba."

Keith scratched buizel's head and looked out at the ocean. Behind him was Almia and the past. Ahead was a future filled with bright possibilities, new dreams and hopes for the future.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Not everything would fall into place right away._

_It would be years before Almia's radiation was cleared up a little more. Years until the citizens would venture outside and begin new lives in the now-gorgeous region._

_I'd be awhile before Keith and Crawford found people who shared their visions. Awhile before a team of peace-keeping rangers would be born._

_And before Keith would meet his angel once again…_

_A little more time would pass._

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**If you've never seen 'On Your Mark', you must. RIGHT NOW.**

**Chia: But its not on youtube.**

**The audio is. And it's on Itunes. As for the music video, search google. Several sites have it so you're bound to track it down.**

**Chia: When's the next update?**

**Pretty soon! I'm working hard! (and not hardly working, I'll have you know)**

**Chia: Any other songs you wish to include in the crossovers?**

**Not sure. Vacation was just an excuse to do beach theme and 'On Your Mark' is in my top 3 favorite songs. I thought about my other 2 songs ('Place de mon Coeur' by Eiffle and 'You get What You Give by New Radicals') but while they do have stories, it'll be hard to incorporate them.**

**Chia: One more thing.**

**What?**

**Chia: SKY DOES NOT OWN POKEMON OR 'ON YOUR MARK'! SHE DOESN'T OWN THE MARIO EITHER! Just stopping the lawsuits here buddy.**

***sweatdrop***


	6. Special: Party Time!

**Chia: Another chapter, another crazy crossover!...sort of. Sky's super busy with the next update of her main story so it'll be a little yet before she's done. And she said she had trouble deciding which crossover to make a chapter of. I think it's either episode 1 of this unknown anime called 'Shattered Angels' or the beginning to 'Monsters Inc'. Maybe teen titans but who knows?**

***the pachirisu goes over to the tv set***

**Chia: Now in between all the chaos, Sky decided to take a break and host a party! She sent out invitations to many other fanfic writers across this site! Ones who specialize in pokemon ranger fanfics of course! And while not everyone made it, some did and even a few fans crashed the party!**

***pulls out a DVD and the remote***

**Chia: But…well…Sky went crazy. Again. Too much chocolate and fruit punch caused an insane sugar rush in her head. So she put all the guests and herself in the bodies of the Pokemon Ranger cast and sent them to a virtual version of the Pokemon Ranger Academy.**

***turns DVD and tv on***

**Chia: The crazy party? Filmed by yours truly. So read, review and enjoy! Cause this is gonna be weird!**

***starts movie***

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Special Party Guest List**

**Kate** – Sky

**Rhythmi** -hitachiintwinsfan989

**Keith** - Tinyfoxhybrid

**Summer **- Random Human

**Solana** - PokemonGirl14

**Ice**- Infusion Masters Nightmare

**Sven **- Francis Unconsious Snivy

**Lunick** - Pikawolf

**Wendy** - Gemstone Gal

**Issac** - Episodes of Pain

**Ben** - pokemonrangerwriter2

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Kate: Ok people! Welcome to SKY'S AWESOME FANFIC ALMIA PARTY! YAAAAYYY!

Everyone else: WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO US?!

Kate: What? You don't like it?

Ben: You kidnapped me in the middle of the freaking night, turned me into a pokemon character and then transported me here with a bunch of people! AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU!

Issac: Same here! Who the hell is this chick?

Rhythmi: Chillax, dude. This is actually pretty low key compared to what Sky usually does.

Ice: Wait a sec, you actually _know_ this psycho chick?

Rhythmi: Unfortunately…

Kate: Come on! I needed two extra guys on the crew! Especially since I'll be shipping you all together and making couples fall in love.

Issac and Ben: WE'RE GIRLS YOU IDIOT!

Kate: ….what?

Ben: I'm a girl.

Issac: And so am I.

Kate: ….oh. Is any one of you here actually a guy?

*no one raises their hand*

Kate: ….well then. This will be awkward for playing 'spin the bottle'.

Keith: You're weird. You're completely psychopathically weird beyond all reason.

Kate: KEITH! *hugs* OMG you look so cute!

Keith: ACK! You do realize I'm a girl, right? I'm not actually a guy and I'm not really Ke-…

Kate: Shush! Let me have my moment!

Rest of crew: *sweatdrop*

Rhythmi: Ok people, Sky here isn't going to let us go without having a party first. Otherwise she'll kick and scream like a bitch the next few days. So eat some cake, dance to the music, have some fun, all that stuff.

Summer: WOO! I AM ALL FOR A PAR-TAY!

Wendy: TURN UP THE MUSIC!

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_(Scene: Commons area upstairs. Music blasting from stereo with many of the party members dancing) (Lunick sees Sven going down the stairs and decides to follow)_

Lunick: So are you a writer or a fan?

Sven: Just a fan who crashed the party. You?

Lunick: Same. Sky thought for the longest times that I was a guy.

Sven: *sweatdrop* I don't think she even knows the truth about me. Weird author.

Lunick: But one hell of a writer. So what's your real name, cowboy?

Sven: Francis. Francis the unconscious snivy.

Lunick: Francis. That's such a fun name to say! _Fran-cis_. Fraaaannn-cis. Franciso. Franny. Fran-man. MAN WITH THE PLAN!

Sven: *face palms* Uh yeah. You are?

Lunick: Pikawolf.

Sven: Seriously?

Lunick: Yep. So where are you going?

Sven: Getting some snacks. I think the kitchen's over…

CRASH! 

?: WOOOO!

?: OK WHO GAVE HER ENERGY DRINKS? I TOLD YOU TO DISPOSE OF THOSE!

?: OH CHILL OUT! ITS JUST 37 CANS!

Guys: *sweatdrop*

Lunick: Yeah….I think I'll stay with you if you don't mind, Frandini.

Sven: *glares* Call me that again and I'll pound you to the next galaxy.

Lunick: Gulp! Got it!

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_(Scene: Library. Music not as loud but vibrations still pulse) (Solana is writing in a notebook in a beanbag chair) (Rhythmi frantically enters library and slams door shut)_

Rhythmi: Damn those idiots!

Solana: Uh…come in?

Rhythmi: *notices Solana* Sorry! So sorry!

Solana: It's cool. Are things getting crazy up there?

Rhythmi: It _got_ crazy when gangnam style played. Right now? Utter chaos. I need a few minutes to chill out. *collapses in another beanbag chair* Soooo…you are?

Solana: A girl trying to catch up on her fanfic.

Rhythmi: You too? Great to meet another author!

Solana: Oh yeah. Your hitachiitwins, right? Nice to meet you. *fist pumps* Isn't Sky both our fans?

Rhythmi: She is _mumble mumble_ _maniac mumble _*rubs temples* I'm also her friend, messaging buddy and soon will be a collaborator on a project.

Solana: That sounds so cool!

Rhythmi: One would think….

Solana: It made me so happy when the author I admired became my own fan! Sky's really cool and I like her writing style!

Rhythmi: I admit she's pretty damn epic sometimes.

CRASH! SMASH! BREAK!

Girls: *sweatdrop* Uh oh.

?: AAAH! WE BROKE A LAMP!

?: Lamp? I thought that was a vase…

?: Dude we are SOOOOO drunk on fizzy soda! Izzat weird or what?

?: You…you are no c-condition to drive home….gimme da keys…

Rhythmi: Sigh. If you'll excuse me, I'm needed upstairs.

Solana: Awwww. *disappointed* I was hoping we could talk about writing type stuff. And maybe pokemon.

Rhythmi: Well…

BOOOOOOOM!

….

Rhythmi: Er…I guess I can go back there later. *reads notebook* Now what kind of story do you have here?

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_(scene: Upstairs again.) (Music still blasting while Kate, Keith, Summer, Wendy and Ice drink extremely fizzy soda) (Soda, for some weird reason, makes them drunk)_

Ice: So…so I was wondering. *hiccup* Why'd you make mes the bad guy? Huh?

Kate: Cause, silly, you're Infusion. Infusion, Ice. Starts with I?

Wendy: I thought it's cuz he's hot.

Ice: Ima girl.

Wendy: Oh yeah…

Summer: Hey whaz about that other writer? She-she was all famous and stuffs when she suddenly went away. What's her name? Moe?

Keith: Ma-ma-koe?

Wendy: *laughs*

Kate: Oh you mean Momoko.

Summer: Yeah! Momoko!

Keith: Momoko!

Ice: Why u no invite her?

Wendy: Cuz she disappeared. She was kidnapped or something.

Keith: We-we need to rescue her!

Kate: *sings* Keith loves Momoko! Keith loves Momo!

Keith: I…I do not…. *gulps another soda*

Ice: I think Iz gonna hafta cut you off.

Keith: No I'm good for it...

Ice: Not you. The sexy blond chick over dere…

Kate: I'm not blonde! *giggles* Now Rhythmi….Rhythmi's soooo blonde.

Summer: She's like the blondiest blonde girl EVER! So blonde that blondes will envy her blondeness and be like 'oh I wish I was blonde because Rhythmi…she-she's the blonde girl'.

Wendy: I never told you this… *puts hand on Summer* But you're SOOOO good at talking.

Summer: Awwww! *blushes* Bu-but you're the better talker person!

Ice: *sniffles* I'm addicted to jellybeans!

Keith: Me too!

*guys cry together in soda-drunk weepy fest*

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

(scene: Outside on the school grounds) (Ben goes out to meet with Issac, who studies the grounds carefully)

Ben: *eating cake* So what're you doing?

Issac: Trying to find a way out.

Ben: Any luck?

Issac: None. It's like there's a barrier around the place to prevent anyone from leaving. And beyond the barrier, it's a world of nothing. This 'Sky' girl must have created this world from her author skills so she had supreme control over… *sees Ben eating* Is that cake?

Ben: Yeah. *shares one of the slices* Want one?

Issac: …. *accepts cake*

Ben: So you and I both don't know this author, right?

Issac: I think I saw her review once or twice on my story but really, I have no idea who she is. We are dealing with a very dangerous force.

Ben: She doesn't seem too bad. You know, when she isn't crazy or drunk on soda. And she isn't influencing the others to throw chairs out the windows.

Issac: Sigh. *continues eating cake*

Ben: Now what? We're stuck here. Should we just go join the party or stay out here and wait for it to end?

Issac: I guess. Maybe try to get to know the author?

Ben: Get to know the kidnapper who's clearly a mental patient?

Issac: Those other readers know her somehow and they like her. We could find she's a decent author. Worst comes to worst, we'll stay on her good side and run like hell next opportunity at first.

Ben: It's weird to hear Issac say 'hell'.

Issac: Well it's weird for Ben to be so calm and focused.

Ben: …touché. Shall we partner up?

Issac: *shakes hands* We shall.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

1 hour later

_(Scene: Upstairs. Solana, Rhythmi, Sven, Lunick, Issac and Ben come upstairs to see the other characters) (Ice and Wendy passed out, Kate lies on floor with blank stare while Summer & Keith nods their head in tune with the music)_

Keith: *notices group* Oh? Oh hey guyz…

Summer: You be late to party! Where…w-where were you?

Others: *sweatdrop*

Issac: *mutters* Lovely.

Rhythmi: Sigh. We'll have to spend the night, I guess. Especially since Kate's in no condition to get us back home. All the people in guy bodies will sleep in the guy dorm while rest of us use the girls dorm.

Lunick: Why? We're all girls, aren't we?

Rhythmi: For privacy sake as well as space.

Sven: *shrugs* I was curious to see the guys dorm anyways. See you later *leaves for room*

Rhythmi: Ben, Issac and Lunick. Can you get Keith and Ice? We'll handle Kate, Summer and Wendy here.

Lunick: Uh sure? *helps Keith up* Er, come on buddy. Bedtime.

Keith: But mommy I don't wanna go to skool today…

*Lunick guides Keith to dorm while Ice is dragged by Issac and Ben* *Rhythmi helps Kate while Solana takes Wendy, guiding Summer as well*

Summer: Nighty night folks! *waves* Hey look…izzat a camera?

Solana: You're just tired, Summer. Let's go.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Night passes. Day comes again

_(Scene: Common area. Still trashed from night before but no one bothers to clean up) (Everyone except Kate, Keith, Wendy, Summer and Ice is up) (Crew eats breakfast Rhythmi and Solana make)_

Rhythmi: Anyone for more pancakes?

Lunick: Here! *raises hand*

*door to girls room opens; Wendy comes out* *Keith and Ice come out the guys dorm*

Wendy: Ack…what a night!

Keith: My head! Hurts so much!

Solana: And good morning to you too, sunshines. You're looking bright today.

Ice: Tch. What happened last night? And why's the bathroom smell so bad?

Ben: You drank too much fizzy soda and puked it all back up.

Issac: Kept us up for half the night.

Wendy: *smirks* Real class act, guys.

Solana: Ha. At least they made it to the bathroom. As opposed to throwing up on the rug.

Wendy: ….was that why the throw rug was thrown in the bathroom garbage? Figures. *sits down* Any cures for a soda hangover?

Rhythmi: Nope. You and the boys better settle down for the time being.

Keith: I just wanna go home!

Rhythmi: Not until Kate's up. She's the only one who can get us back.

*girls door opens to have Kate and Summer exit*

Sven: Speak of the devil.

Ben and Issac: About time.

Summer: Whew! What a party! *leans against wall* Major headache, my stomach wants to puke some more and I barely have the energy to stand. But that was so worth it!

Kate: Heh. I guess we overdid it with the soda. *sweatdrop*

Keith: *gags* Don't mention soda.

Wendy: PLEASE. *shudders*

Solana: Have we learned our lesson about responsible soda drinking?

Lunick: They haven't. 10 pokedollars says they'll do it again the second we turn our backs.

Summer: Sounds like we've got ourselves a bet!

Ice: *slams head on table and sleeps some more*

Rhythmi: Hey Kate? Buddy? Enough's enough. Time to send us back home. I've got writing to do on my story.

Solana: Same here.

Ben and Issac: Ditto.

Sven: And the rest of us have to get back to stalking you and reading your stories.

Keith: Stalking?

Sven: What? Any other word you care to use?

Keith: …..

Kate: Keith! I knew you car-…ow my head…. *guzzles aspirin* Alright I'll send you back to where we once were. But can I keep you in those bodies?

Everyone: NO.

Kate: Fine. *rolls eyes* I hope to see you all again soon! Be it reading my stories, updating your own or something! And I hope you're not too mad at me for making you into characters! Especially if you went from girl to guy.

Guy characters: *fierce glares*

Kate: Au revior people! Letsa go!

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

***turns off tv***

**Chia: And that, everyone, was the party. Of course some of you may actually remember that. Wild, eh? But I'd apologize for Sky if you did not go to the party cause I mean there's only so many she could invite and some invitations were either lost or destroyed by a rotom lawnmower.**

***removes CD, puts it back in case***

**Chia: Also whoever did go, sorry! Hope you're not offended! Sky, er, hopes you had fun! Her next updates for stories will be relatively soon! See ya later! **


	7. Transformation

**Chia: *rolls out list* Lookie, lookie. Is this not a list of writing assignments you have assigned yourself?**

***arrow stab to heart* ACK!**

**Chia: Tsk, tsk. Soooo many things here. *skims through* You're planning to do some of Monsters Inc. And then there's a small chance of the anime Shattered Angels or Pretear.**

***arrow stab to head* URK!**

**Chia: Plus you are in the planning stages of both Peter Pan and Robin Hood (Disney versions). And there's some sketches of your favorite redhead in green tights. **

***face on fire and another arrow stab to back* **

**Chia: And you've also got April NaNoWriMo which has to do with your story 'Magic & Mechanics'. Can you honestly handle 1.5k words a day when you're juggling all th-…**

**ENOUGH! *rage table flips* READ, REVIEW AND ENJOY PEOPLE! *gets laser gun* You're going down, pachirisu!**

**Chia: IT'S ON!**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_The following story isn't technically a __real__ crossover. But it's sort of a crossover of a one-shot Harvest Moon story I wrote sometime back. I like the story idea and I thought I could apply it with two specific Almia characters. _

_Chia: That's cheating._

_No it's not. Shut up. *ahem* Please enjoy this chapter of the crossover._

_Chia: Even though Sky's a cheater._

_AM NOT!_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Why hello there. What's a cute girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Another sunny day in Almia. Vien Forest was rich and green, thanks to the ranger's hard work at reviving the once-burnt environment. Top Ranger Sven took a break from his job to talk to a pretty strawberry blonde who walked along the forest path.

"Oh um…" The girl stammered, surprised. "I was just on m-my way to visit my sister…"

She was flustered. Perfect! Now to pull on the manly act and reel her in.

"Well ma'am, I suppose you hadn't heard but there are shady men lurking around these parts." Sven tipped his hat. "It's dangerous for a woman such as yourself to be traveling alone."

"Really?" The girl gasped. "I, uh, I have my manetric with me."

The manetric seemed to be taking a real liking to Sven's luxray. Bonus points for the pokemon hooking up!

"I suppose you do look capable. But just in case, I'd like to register your name and phone number. That way I can call you later to make sure you're alright. And maybe…" Sven winked. "We can arrange for a night out."

The girl blushed. She fumbled through her purse for a piece of paper and a pen. Her hand hurried to jot down words & numbers. That same hand shook as it shyly handed the paper to Sven.

"SVEN YOU IDIOT!"

YANK!

"OW OW OW!"

Sven's ear was suddenly grabbed and pulled him away. Damn it! He had forgotten he was patrolling with his partner, Top Ranger Wendy. And wow was her grip painful.

"Hey I almost got that girl!" Sven whined.

He looked over at the girl. She smiled and gave Sven a 'call me' sign with her hand. The cowboy grinned, gave her another wink and a thumbs up.

"Never mind. I got her." Sven said.

Wendy released her grip. "We're supposed to be patrolling!"

"Awwww. Is someone jealous that I get all the attention?" Sven joked.

"NO." Wendy growled. "I'm mad cause you're not taking this job seriously!"

"Come on, Wen'. Chill!" Sven laughed. "You know I take my job _very_ seriously! When there's action or rights to be wronged, I'm there. But today's been so slow! Barely any quests popped up! Nothing to do but wander around Almia, pretending we look busy!"

Wendy shot a glare before giving a sigh and looking up data on her styler. Sven shrugged it off, looking around the forest. Everything was quiet. Very peaceful. Pokemon frolicking about as wind rustled through the trees. Sven sometimes liked it this way. Today? He was itching for a little excitement. Boredom was something he hated.

"So…" Wendy spoke up. "What's your plan for tonight?"

"I've got this." Sven waved the paper. "One phone call and I've got myself a date. I'll sweep that girl off her feet."

"All so you can get her in bed?" Wendy questioned, a strange look of irritation on her face.

"You know me so well." Sven chuckled.

"You're such an (bleep) sometimes." Wendy sighed, rubbing her temples. "Don't you want to meet a girl and love her for who she is? Maybe settle down with one for awhile instead of someone new every few days?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Sven asked.

Wendy shook her head. "Like I expect you to understand."

"Hey, you've had a few boyfriends before and they all dumped you after a short amount of time. Probably because you wouldn't have any 'fun' with them; to try something new, so to speak. Now you're single. You've been single for a pretty long time now, actually."

"I choose to be single, smartass." Wendy snapped bitterly.

"What? Holding out for your 'special guy'?" Sven questioned.

The green haired girl stared at him for the longest time. Then her head turned away; gaze focused on the ground.

"Nevermind." Wendy mumbled. "Forget I said anything."

Sven wanted to go on but he saw the girl's face get dark. Something was on her mind. Deep thoughts? Or maybe it was female hormones. Either way, Sven was smart enough to know not to tread further on the subject. Back to patrolling.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The day passed by eventually. Wendy had been in a dark mood the rest of the day; very quiet. Wasn't her usual self. Sven ignored it for the most part and focused on the job as asked. Not many more quests to be done that day. The top rangers were allowed to have the rest of the day off. While Wendy gave her attention to her staraptor (Star), Sven decided to hang with the rookies of the Union: Kate, Keith and their operator friend, Rhythmi. Nice gang. High hopes for all of them. Sven knew with his guidance, the new rangers would be great.

In mid-afternoon, the cowboy called up that girl and easily got a date with her. Sven dressed up nice, put some cologne on and went out to Pueltown that evening. Nice girl. Very adorable with a hint of innocence. Though that wasn't the night to get close to her, Sven knew he'd easily win her over with his masculine charm. He was extremely confident about that as he dropped her off at her apartment and strolled through the city streets.

"Ahhh…what a night." Sven thought. "Another great date with a very delightful girl. Who knows? She may last longer than a week."

The cowboy reached Altru Park. Pokemon had gone to sleep while people retired to their homes. Altru Park was bathed in the glow of the lanterns that were along the brick path. A nice park during the day was a quiet, relaxing place to be at night. Sven walked through the place alone, taking a deep breath of cool air. Huh. Dark clouds were gathering. Might rain soon.

"_Sven…"_

Huh? A voice? Sven snapped out of his thoughts and looked around. No one. Weird. He could've sworn he heard.

"_Sven…"_

There it was again. But now, several feet ahead, there was a figure. A girl, actually. Her hair was ruby-red; styled with two pointy braids that hung on her shoulders. The eyes were a soft amber color that looked almost unreal. The outfit the girl wore was a summer dress of red and white with a blue sash on the waist.

Sven blinked once. Twice. He rubbed his eyes. No, this girl was real. And she was waving to him! The girl was beckoning him to follow her!

"Well." Sven smirked. "I can't turn down a lady's invitation."

As the girl started jogging away, Sven followed her. He didn't pay so much attention to where he was going. All he could pay attention to was the girl. Sven turned left and right all over the place, keeping his eye on her. Wow was that girl pretty. Possibly better than that strawberry blonde chick. Was fate generous or what?

After some time, the two reached the center of the park. The girl got up on the open music stage and patiently awaited Sven. Sven climbed up the other stairs to the stage as well. Dark storm clouds had covered the skies completely. A low rumble echoed.

"Whew! Nice workout!" Sven panted, then regained composure. "So, you called me?"

"I did." The girl said.

"What is it you'd like?" Sven smirked. "A little alone time?"

"Yes but not for what you think." The girl responded.

It was then the girl started to glow. Her entire body radiated a blue light. The light reshaped her, sculpting the body into something else. A long neck with a small diamond head; pointed ears. Jet-like wings erupted from her back. The hands became claws while legs disappeared completely, making the body hover in air. Sven was shocked at this change. He was breathless as he saw a pokemon where a girl once stood.

"Y-you're….you're a…" The cowboy stammered.

"_A latias."_ The pokemon finished for him.

"B-but how? You're…? I don't…you…um…" Sven tried to speak but words kept jumbling up.

"_I changed into a girl so I could lure you here, Sven. We need to talk to you."_ The latias said.

"We?" Sven blinked.

Right about then, two more pokemon arrived on the scene. One looked like a blue version of latias and the other? Sven was astonished once again to see a small little pink pokemon flying about.

"_Meet my brother latios and our friend mew."_ Latias introduced.

"Y-you guys are…you're all…" Sven gulped. "L-legendaries…"

"_Evening, Sven."_ Latios nodded.

"_Wow is he surprised!"_ Mew giggled.

"Um…not that I don't want to see you, but what are you doing here? And talking to me of all people?" Sven asked.

"_We're here for an intervention. __Your__ intervention."_ Latias informed.

"Excuse me?" Sven raised an eyebrow. "And what, may I ask, is this an intervention for?"

"_Your behavior is of concern, Sven. While your personality had some arrogance in it, that pride consumed you over the years. It has lead you to believe things and had clouded your vision. There are signs you have not seen, things you've overlooked. And if you do not change this, your future actions will cost you dearly."_ Latios explained.

"_We're here to show you the light and make you back to your old self again! No, wait! Better!"_ Mew cheerfully sang.

"Sorry but I like myself the way I am." Sven frowned. "I don't have an attitude problems or issues in my life."

"_Sven…"_ Latios tried to speak again.

"I have to get back to the Union." Sven cut him off. "See ya."

He hopped off stage and started to walk away.

"_I wouldn't do that if I were you!"_ Mew warned with a preppy tone.

"And why not?"

BAM!

"OW!"

"_Cause we surrounded the place with a magic barrier!" _

Sven rubbed his face, which grew incredibly sore. After muttered some swears, his fist pounded the wall in front of him. A glass wall that couldn't be broken. It was set around the area to prevent him from leaving. Damn it...

"What the hell?" Sven snapped at the pokemon.

"_We're sorry Sven…"_ Latias sighed.

"_But it must be done."_ Latios finished.

"_Our job is to help you get on the right path again. And we have no other choice."_ Latias sadly said.

"Mew." Latios faced the pink pokemon. _"It's time."_

"_Okey dokey!"_ Mew nodded.

Mew flew in front of Sven. It's body turned a brilliant light blue and was surrounded by the same color aura. The pokemon closed its eyes and started to whisper enchantments of some kind. Sven was about to question this act when his throat closed up. He could barely breathe! Sven's voice was gone! His skin tingled with a strange, icy sensation as his skin turned the same color as mew. Sven found himself frozen on spot; helpless to what was happening.

"Dear arceus, what's going on!" Sven mentally panicked. "What are they going to do to me?"

The wind picked up. It blew around Sven like a whirlwind, trapping him! Almost as if he'd be blown away by the incredible force!

"_Sven."_

Latias's voice seemed to echo inside the cyclone. Sven felt his heart beat faster, speeding up each second that passed. It started to make him dizzy and sick to his stomach. The pulsations were like a drum, beating through his head at a rapid pace. His blood seemed to rush through his body at blinding speed.

"_You must discover your revelation; the true light in your life." _

A dull ache rang through Sven's body with dozens of uncontrollable tremors. His eyes squeezed shut as an intense pain penetrated him. It was like he was being crushed! A force was crushing him, trying to squeeze out his insides in a pulpy mess. Meanwhile, the skin felt as though needles were growing from inside and poking their way out.

"_Until then, you will remain trapped under Mew's spell."_

Though the entire event took a few minutes, to Sven it felt like eternity! What was happening to him? After a moment, the whirlwind started to subside. The pain was starting to go away; only a headache remained. Sven regained control of his body and his voice again. But something felt different.

Sven groaned, opening his eyes. He stumbled a little bit before standing up. Everything looked…bigger. Latias and Mew hovered but even they seemed larger all of a sudden. And they were looking down at him. Hold on. Did Sven shrink? With a blink, he stared down at his hands.

…no…those weren't hands at all. Those were wings. Brown and white wings where hands and arms once were. An orange beak was on his once-handsome face. Sven stared down at the rest of his body. Feathers along with scrawny legs and talons. T-this wasn't his body at all! It was the body of a pidgey! And…and that could only mean…

"_WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ME!"_ Sven yelled, horrified.

A few rain drops started to descend from the sky. It was starting to rain. Latias' pricked her ears up and turned her head to the west. There were footsteps.

"_We're sorry, Sven. But we must leave."_ Latias whispered, apologetic.

"_Good luck!"_ Mew squeaked.

Mew vanished into thin air while latias flew off in a hurry.

"_Hey wait…!"_ Sven tried to go after the red pokemon. _"GAH!"_

A sore ache seized him. His chest tightened as the airway constricted once more. Sven collapsed onto the ground as his strength drained. The transformation robbed him of his energy. All he could do was lie on the ground and try not to choke on rain as he breathed. He was weak; in so much pain. His mind was still trying to understand what happened to him only moments ago. Never before had the once-cowboy felt so pathetic.

"Oh my gosh!"

Footsteps grew closer. Sven squinted his eyes to see two figures running up to him. One was a guy with pointed sapphire hair, red eyes and blue/white attire that came with a ruby scarf. Latios; probably in human form. But the other figure was someone Sven knew immediately.

"_Wendy…" _

"You poor thing…" Wendy bent down, inspecting him. "Your wing's broken. And you're in such terrible condition."

Sven shivered as the ranger's fingers brushed through his feathers. He stared into Wendy's green eyes, which held worry within them. For the first time, they seemed almost…captivating…as if they were pulling Sven in….

"I better get you medical attention." Wendy's arms scooped Sven up, cradling him. "Can't leave you out here in this storm; hurt and alone."

"_W-wendy…"_ Sven whispered hoarsely.

Latios, sensing his job was done, silently left. Wendy carried Sven and charged through the park. She hurried as fast as she could; through the heavy rain and fierce storm winds. Sven stared up at the face of his partner as he grew more faint. Before blacking out, he remembered seeing those emerald eyes shift to determination and feeling the comforting warmth within her arms.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"_Nnnnggg…"_

The pounding in his head slowly drove Sven to wake up. He ached all over but it wasn't as bad as it was before. What a rough sleep. So many weird dreams. Sven pried his eyes open, squinting as the morning light hit him. Took a little bit to adjust.

He was back in his room at the Union, that part seemed normal. Also the guy had been resting on top of his bed. But the rest was far from the usual. The room itself looked bigger. Beds, dresser, door…they grew? Sven blinked. He stared down at his body.

"_Wings…feathers…"_ Sven shook, terrified. _"Arceus, that was real! I turned into a pokemon!"_

The bathroom door opened. From it, Wendy stepped out.

"_WENDY!"_ Sven called out. _"You have to help! It's me, Sven!"_

Wendy noticed him flapping around on the bed. "Oh you're up! Good morning, pidgey!"

"_I'm not a pidgey!"_ Sven protested.

"Wow! I see you've regained your energy." Wendy chuckled. "Though I'd be careful. That wing of yours is still busted up."

Sven noticed his left ar-…er, wing, had bandages around it. When did he…? Oh forget that! This wasn't the time to question the wing! He needed help!

"_Listen to me, Wen'! I'm not a pidgey! It's your human partner, Sven!"_ Sven tried to tell her. _"Something happened last night that turned me into a bird! Please! You have to help me get back to normal! Come on, Wendy. See that it's me!"_

"You're awfully perky today." Wendy said, patting him on the bed. "Stay here for a bit. I have to report for work and then I can get you some medicine for that wing."

Before Sven could say anything else, the green haired girl was gone. Sven laid back against the pillow. What the freaking hell…? He was transformed into a pidgey and now his own ranger partner didn't recognize him at all.

"_Why can't Wendy understand me?"_ Sven whispered, confused.

"_Cause you're a pokemon, silly!"_

Sven turned to Wendy's bed, where a familiar pokemon appeared out of nowhere.

"_YOU!"_ Sven growled. _"You're the one who did this to me!"_

"_Yep!"_ Mew cheerfully responded. _"And because I turned you into a pokemon, your friend can't understand you at all! You're speaking pokemon!"_

Damn. The pink furball had a point there.

"_You're gonna keep being a pidgey until you have that revelation!" _Mew told him.

"_What the heck's a revelation?"_ Sven questioned, irritated.

"_It's like a realization of great truth or something. You have to have a revelation before you're turned back to a human!"_ Mew replied.

"_Screw the revelation. TURN ME BACK TO A HUMAN RIGHT NOW!"_ Sven snapped.

"_Sorry! I can't do that!" _Mew smiled 'innocently'. _"I put a really powerful spell on you! No one can take it off; not even me! You'll have to have that revelation to break it!"_

"_Which means if I don't have that revelation, I'd be stuck this way for the rest of my life…"_ Sven cringed.

"_Basically."_ Mew said. _"But I know you can do it! Latias and Latios have faith in you too! And we decided to help you!"_

"_If your 'help' is anything like this spell, you can forget it."_ Sven muttered.

"_Nope! You know that latias and latios can disguise themselves as humans, right? Latios went to those ranger people as you and said you would be on a mission for several days. And latias messed with their technology to make them think you're out there handling the mission!"_ Mew explained. _"No one will know you're a pidgey and you've got plenty of time to have that revelation!"_

"_And suppose I send a message somehow? To let them know I'm this way?"_ Sven challenged.

"_Spell isn't going to allow it."_ Mew told him.

"_I can tell the other pokemon and they…"_

"_Spell won't let you understand them and vice versa."_

Dammit dammit DAMMIT. This mew was screwing him over! Sven pounded his head on the wall in frustration.

"_You've got to be kidding me…"_ Sven grumbled a few choice words. _"Can't I at least get a hint? For this revelation?"_

"_You already got one!"_ Mew giggled. _"It has to do with the true light in your life."_

True light? What did that mean…?

"_If you'll excuse me, I have some stuff to do. I'll see you later, Sven!" _

Sven was about to question the pokemon further when Mew disappeared again. He was alone now. The pidgey laid on the bed and stared down at the floor.

"_Alright then. I am a bird pokemon. Once was a human but now a pidgey. My friends can't recognize me and no one can help me. There was a Mew who did this to me but with latias and latios' idea."_ Sven reviewed the information. _"And in order to break the spell, or curse…or whatever…I need a revelation."_

Revelation meant realizing a great truth. So this seemed to be some sort of 'spiritual quest' type deal, possibly. Now what was that hint? The true light in his life? Some help _that_ was. What the hell did it even mean? How was Sven supposed to know what a true light was? Did they mean lanterns? Candles? Or was it some sort of metaphor?

"I'm back!"

The door opened with Wendy stepping inside. Her hands held a small green bottle of pokemon medicine. Wendy sat down on the bed and took Sven into her lap. Her hands rubbed the medicine into Sven's wings gently, taking special care of the condition. Meanwhile Sven himself was a bit surprised. Wendy knew her stuff. She once mentioned treating sick flying pokemon as a kid. All that practice paid off. It felt like a soft massage. And Sven enjoyed every second of it.

"Feeling better?" Wendy asked.

"_Much."_ Sven stretched. _"Thanks, Wen'."_

Wendy grinned, gave a quick pat on Sven's head and set him back on the bed.

"I have to go patrolling but I'll be back later. I'm sure my partner won't mind you using his bed, what with his 'big mission' and all." Wendy told him. "Rest up, pidgey."

With a graceful stride, the green haired ranger left the room again.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Sven had been left the entire day to think through possible revelation ideas and figure out that 'true light' mystery. He thought he was on to something a few times. But nothing. Nada. No such luck. This spell was a whopper of a challenge. Plus all the time spent cooped up indoors? Drove him crazy! Sven hated sitting around. He preferred going outdoors, being a part of the action and having all sorts of adventures. Right now, he could be meeting that girl again from the date or picking up more for future date nights.

Sven bitterly thought about that as boredom drove him nuts. Still kept thinking that as night came around. Barely noticed Wendy coming back to their room and checking up on the injury. Didn't pay attention to Kate stopping by, asking to borrow a book. Nope. Sven was pretty irritated at the legendary pokemon for trapping him in this stupid body. Partly mad at himself, for not suspecting something was off the moment it all began.

A slight squeak and the air grew quiet. Sven mentally noted that Wendy must've been showering and finished up. He saw that her pajamas, however, were on her bed. Must've forgotten to take them with her. A groan from the bathroom meant she realized that as well. The door opened, with steam gushing out. Sven glanced over but then did a double take.

There was Wendy; stepping from the bathroom door. She wore nothing but the white towel she wrapped around her body. And that captured Sven's undivided attention. He noticed that Wendy had quite the curves on her. A skinny waist with such nice hips. Plus her chest region wasn't so bad, now that Sven got a better look. To think when they first met, he called her 'flat chest'. Long, delicate arms with skinny fingers that picked up the pajamas on her bed. Fingers that brushed aside a loose strand of green hair away from her focused emerald eyes. Actually, Wendy was very pretty. She could attract a number of guys with those good looks. Who would've thought?

Wendy went back into the bathroom to change. Moments later, she returned with a white t-shirt and gym shorts. Even in those wrinkled pajamas, she still looked nice. Sven wasn't sure why but he felt that Wendy was…she sort of….well…

"Night, pidgey." Wendy yawned.

"_Er…yeah. Night, Wendy."_ Sven stammered.

The girl flipped off the lights and crawled into her own bed across from Sven's. She buried herself under the covers, relaxing almost instantly. Must be tired from patrolling all day. Her face was relaxed; very peaceful as she quickly dozed off to sleep. Sven could hear her snore; a small little sigh of sorts. Wendy looked a little cute when she slept. How peculiar.

Sven felt tired now, as well. He adjusted to another position; one that bird pokemon used when sleeping. While it wasn't very human-like, this was at least comfortable.

"_I have to find a way to get back to normal. I'm not going to give up until I'm human again."_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Morning came. Sunshine peaked through the windows, hitting Sven's eyes. The pidgey groaned at the light. He forced himself awake as he noticed the alarm clock would ring soon. Sven stretched his limbs and yawned. Another day, another pokedollar.

"_Huh."_ Sven flapped his wing. _"Getting better."_

The guy tested it out. Still a little sore and weak. But not as bad as before. Sven could jump a little higher or slow down the rate he fell at. These techniques came in handy when he hopped up the bedside dresser, to the alarm clock. Sven switched the alarm off a minute before it was due to ring. Ha! Even in pokemon form, he was still capable!

"Nnnnnggg…."

Wendy's voice was muffled in the sheets. She opened her eyes and looked at Sven, who stood over the alarm clock.

"Pidgey? You set that off on your own?" Wendy blinked. "Wow."

"_You expect anything less?"_

The girl rubbed her eyes and yawned. Stretching her arms, Wendy got out of bed. She treated Sven's wing (noting the speedy recovery), then grabbed her ranger outfit and ducked into the bathroom. About two minutes later, she was dressed and slid the fine styler on her wrist. Ready to start the day.

Sven jumped onto her shoulder. _"You're looking mighty confident today, Wen'."_

"What's up, pidgey? You coming with me?" Wendy asked.

"_You think I'd bore myself to death another day in here?"_ Sven replied.

"Alright then." Wendy scratched his chin, grinning. "I guess you could use the fresh air. And my pokemon's already busy with mating season so it'd be nice to have some company."

Mating season?...oh yeah! That's right! A lot of the base's pokemon were preoccupied with this time of year. Explains why Zap (Sven's luxray) had been away all this time.

Wendy walked from the room, out of the dorms and back into the Union. It was shocking. Here Sven was but no one knew it was him. They had no idea what happened to the guy. No one even noticed him. Wendy met with Kate and Keith on the third floor, reporting for duty. Erma casually mentioned that Sven was still out on his mission (the pokemon were doing a good job misleading everyone) and that everyone was to give it their all with patrolling. Since he wasn't noticed by any of the crew, Sven had the opportunity to space out a little. Never could get away with that before.

Once the meeting was wrapped up, Wendy gave a salute and went off for questing. Sven rode on her shoulder as they walked through Union Road, all the way to Pueltown. The little city was as peaceful as usual. Lots of sunshine and happy faces. Wendy went on to handle a few of the quests. Numerous amount of them but she did perfectly fine. Helped a skitty out of a tree, saved a charmander from falling into the water, stopped a man from abusing a bonsly; all sorts of random stuff.

Sven watched as Wendy took it all on by herself. He was impressed. The girl showed cunning maneuvers to avoid being hit by a pokemon's attacks while capturing it. She risked her well-being to save pokemon in danger. Was never afraid to stand up for what was right. Didn't even hesitate to take on a challenge. Sven knew she was pretty good at what she did. Now? Arcues, she was amazing. Who would've thought his partner was so skilled?

Sometime later, Wendy was walking down to the south end of town when a cry filled the air. She stopped and looked to where the source came from. Sven could see a little girl (maybe eight?) with long brown ponytails some distance away. Her knee was dripping blood as she kept crying. Wendy raced right over to her.

"Hey, kiddo." Wendy bent down to her. "What happened?"

"I…I…" The kid hiccupped, still scared. "I tripped and fell. M-my knee hurts…"

Wendy reached to her belt-pouch and pulled out a first aid kid. She sat the kid on a nearby bench. Using the water fountain next to it, Wendy soaked a piece of cloth and used it to wash the little girl's knee.

"So what's your name?" Wendy asked.

"S-Seren…" The girl replied.

The ranger was making small talk with Seren, casually calming her down. Sven watched as Wendy disinfected the scrape and then put a bandaid on it.

"Wow! I feel so much better!" Seren gasped happily.

"Glad to hear it!" Wendy smiled. "Just be careful on the way home, ok?"

"Ok! Thank you, ranger!"

With that, the little girl was off again. Wendy chuckled as she put the first aid kit away. Sven was left stunned. Not only was Wendy tough, sarcastic and determined…she was caring too. The green haired wonder had a soft side to her. She managed to treat a child's wound while getting said child to calm down.

"_You really are something…."_ Sven whispered.

More quests came and went. Once everything was done, Wendy met up with the other top rangers (Kate and Keith) to hang out and chat. Sven learned that Wendy was intelligent. Her humor held hints of sarcasm that could make anyone smile, including him.

Flash forward to night.

Wendy came out of the bathroom again only to find Sven resting on her bed instead of the other one. She didn't seem to mind. The girl collapsed onto the bed, scratching Sven's chin. The pidgey tensed at first but soon relaxed. No wonder pokemon liked this! It felt so good!

At first, there was a smile on the ranger's face. But it faded as she looked outside. Her face was full of thought. What was she thinking about? Why did Wendy seem a little down?

"Haven't heard from Sven in awhile." Wendy sighed. "I hope he's alright."

Was she concerned for him? Did Wendy actually care about the cowboy's well-being? It occurred to Sven that he usually called his partner whenever he went on a big 'solo' quest. Usually just to tease or brag about success. By now, he'd have rung her up about this. So Wendy noticed when the styler was silent. And she didn't like that.

"_Don't worry, Wen'. I'm doing ok_." Sven said. _"You know, I'm even better now that I know someone's looking out for me."_

Wendy couldn't hear him. She went up to turn the lights off and then come back to bed. Buried herself under the covers, falling asleep almost instantly. Sven watched her for the longest of times. After all this time, there was so much he hadn't known about his own partner. He was clueless to her true personality and ranger methods. Today, Sven had learned so much. All because he was a pidgey.

"_This spell may not be all bad."_ Sven yawned, drifting to dreamland. _"But….I will find that revelation. One way or another."_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Another day passed by. Wendy handled more quests with Sven at her side. The bandage was able to come off but his wing wasn't working as well as it should be. So naturally, Wendy had to keep an eye on him and make sure Sven wasn't injuring the wing further. Sven didn't mind the injury. He liked seeing Wendy care for him and watched over her as she went about the ranger job. At night, Sven would curl up next to her and fall asleep beside her, comforted that his partner was close to him.

Then came Wendy's day off. Nothing too special. The girl had talked to some of the other Union people briefly and got some shopping done. Sven learned little bits and pieces. Such as her favorite lotion (coconut), that she loved frozen yogurt (especially chocolate), researched bird pokemon (got a book plus talked to a visiting pokemon trainer who specialized in flying types) and even little habits she had (twirling her hair when thinking over a decision). It was fun for the pidgey. Sven liked to discover more about Wendy. For some reason, he wanted to learn about her. No idea why, though.

About sunset time, Wendy took a break and sat by the piers of Pueltown. Sven liked the quiet, calming scene. Nice time to relax and take a break. The skies were orange, reflecting onto the dark blue waters. A lapras swam in the distance. Winds brushed past the duo, through Wendy's soft hair and Sven's feathers.

A sigh. Sven looked up to see it came from Wendy. She looked…depressed? What was wrong? Before Sven could ask, Wendy reached around her neck and took something off. The item was now in her hand and she was staring down at it. Sven tried to get a good look.

"You want to see?" Wendy asked, noticing Sven.

Sven nodded. Wendy stretched her palm to show him. It was a skinny brown leather necklace with a pendant on the end. The pendant was a light jade carved into a feather.

"_Hey I know this…"_ Sven recognized.

"Sven gave this to me. It was a birthday present." Wendy said.

That's right. Sven didn't even know Wendy's birthday until that very day. It was that blonde girl (Rhythmi, was it?) who mentioned it to Kate. So Sven went out and picked that necklace for her. Why not? A feather necklace for the flying ranger of Almia. Worked out perfectly too. Wendy really loved it. Sven was glad it worked out and never gave a second thought to the present. Didn't cross his mind till now.

"I wear it all the time. It was really nice that Sven remembered my own birthday and went through the trouble to get me something." Wendy told him.

"_It…it was no trouble at all."_ Sven responded, surprised. _"I…I had no idea you still wear it…"_

"Pretty stupid of me to think this…" Wendy muttered, looking away. "Sven's forgotten all about it by now. And he's probably forgotten about me."

"_What? No Wendy, I would never-…."_

"I'm such an idiot." The fist closed tightly, trembling. "Just because we hang out sometimes and we've been through all those quests, I feel close to him. I actually liked that…that hotheaded jerk."

Sven was frozen. Eyes wide, breathless…unable to believe what he just heard. She _liked_ him? Of course…it made so much sense. A few days ago, the talk during their quests. Sven realized that when she asked what he was doing that night, she was hoping they could hang out. That whole conversation about dating made her uneasy. Wow. How did it feel? To watch Sven chase after those girls while being treated as just a partner? Getting hurt time and time again?

"I've got to face facts. Sven's not going to like me. Never will." Wendy mumbled.

The necklace was shoved into her pants pocket and head buried in her hands.

"_How could I have not seen this? Was I really that much of a jerk to her?" Sven_ thought.

He was feeling horribly guilty. All this time, Wendy actually liked him. A lot. And Sven was too blind to even see it. He was chasing after the wrong kind of girls. Why did he go for the hot, brainless ones? They weren't the right girls to be with. Sven should've been going after the clever, strong, optimistic ones. A girl who would support him when the chips are down and care about others. Someone like…like…

"_Wendy…" _

Memories flooded through his head. All those quests and missions they went through together. The times they hung out. Birthdays, holidays and parties. The conversations and ranger competitions they had. When they first met. It all came rushing back.

"_Wendy, I'm so sorry."_ Sven quietly apologized. _"I didn't mean to hurt you."_

No response. Right. He was a pidgey. Wendy couldn't hear him. Sven wanted to show her that he'd be there for her. To cheer her up again. With a deep breath (and sucking up any dignity), Sven hopped onto her lap. His head leaned on her arm as he stared up at her. Wendy looked at him with moist eyes. Her hand wiped away the tears as a smile formed on her face.

"_You know, you're a lot cuter when you're smiling_." Sven sighed.

"Thanks, pidgey." Wendy patted his head.

"_I won't be a pidgey for much longer, Wen'."_ Sven told her, determined. _"I'm getting closer to that revelation. And once I'm myself again, I'll make it up to you. Cross my heart and swear on my ranger career."_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"So did you hear the news?"

"Hm? What news?"

Next day, everyone was hanging out in the break room. Sven and Wendy along with Kate, Keith and Rhythmi. Everyone talking about this n' that over hot chocolate. Then of course Rhythmi started up a new conversation.

"You don't know?" Rhythmi gasped. "It's all over the newspapers! Non-stop reports on tv too!"

"Then tell us!" Keith snapped, irritated.

"There's this bad guy who used to roam Kanto and Johto. He'd kidnap women off the streets at night, take them back to his hideout and kill them. But not before…" Rhythmi gulped. "Er…doing things…"

Wendy growled. "I can't stand criminals who do that."

"Me neither." Kate agreed.

"So what about the dude?" Keith asked.

"He was eventually caught after slaughtering 50-something victims. But recently, he just broke out of jail! And rumor has it, the criminal's come to Almia!" Rhythmi went on.

Kate coughed out her hot cocoa. Keith had to pat her back to help her breathe again. Wendy shivered a bit. Sven himself wasn't too keen on the news. Didn't want to hear some brute disturbing the peace in his region.

"You think rangers will be asked to cover this?" Wendy asked.

"There's a national police squad coming over here to investigate. They're the same guys who arrested Team Galatic in Sinnoh and then helped out a little in Unova." Rhythmi answered. "I'd hate to see you guys put yourself on the line for this bad guy. I mean, he'll attack any women he sees. I don't want my best friends hurt."

"Well this maniac's not going to get past me." Keith pompously said. "He comes after my friends, he'll get his face broken!"

"And who's to say he'll get his hands on me anyways?" Wendy sipped her drink. "I can kick that guy's ass easy."

"_Confident, aren't we?"_ Sven chuckled.

"Still. Be careful, you guys." Rhythmi worriedly said.

"It's ok, Rhythmi. I can just stick by Keith until the dangers over." Kate assured. "If…er…that's ok with him."

Keith's face was a slight red. "Uh yeah! Fine by me! A guy like that wouldn't dare come after you if he sees you've got a bodyguard."

Ah young love. Sven shook his head, knowing those two would end up together at some point.

"Too bad Sven's not with you." Kate said to Wendy. "I don't think anyone would pick a fight with him."

"_Darn right about that."_ Sven smirked.

"What sort of mission is he on, anyways?" Keith asked. "Haven't seen him in awhile?"

"Ah you know Sven. He's probably handling things somewhere far off." Wendy shrugged. "Longest he's been away is a week. I know he'll be back soon enough."

"You think that pidgey's going to be enough protection?" Keith questioned.

"_You want me to peck your eyes out?"_ Sven remarked.

"Bird pokemon are tougher than you think." Wendy scratched Sven's head. "I think this lil guy can take on anything if he's determined."

Conversations went on for awhile. Sven listened, wishing he could join in. But he was happy being with his friends. Even if they had no idea who the pidgey really was. After a few hours, everyone went their separate ways.

Night came too quickly. Another storm was starting to brew. Winds were picking up to high speeds and clouds darkened the night sky even further. Rain would come in due time. Wendy and Sven went back to their room. The green haired ranger took another look at Sven's wing. Not bad. Almost healed up.

"Hmmm...we're out of medicine."

"Maybe there's more in the break room's cabinets?" Sven suggested.

"I'd normally go to the break room's cabinets..." Wendy pondered out loud. "But I think this was their last bottle. I'll have to run into town to get some more."

"_Aw, Wen'. You don't need to do that. I'm fine!"_ Sven insisted.

Wendy grabbed her jacket. "Pidgey, I'll be right back!"

Before Sven could follow her or even voice an objection, Wendy dashed out the door. Damn. She shut it too. And with these wings, Sven couldn't open a door. Which meant he was trapped inside his room alone until she got back. The winds were howling from outside. That storm would get here pretty soon. Hopefully Wendy could make it back before she got caught up in it.

"_Wendy…please be careful."_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Yikes! SUPER COLD! The wind practically stung Wendy's skin! She ran all the way to Pueltown, trying to speed up her errand. Thankfully Pueltown had street lights and the neon signs were glowing bright. Nice to be able to see where she was going. Now to find which store was the one for pokemon medicine?

"Groceries. Hair care. Toys. Music instruments." Wendy thought, eyes scanning the store windows. "Where is that store? I just saw it yesterday…"

With a sigh, she continued searching. There was no one else out in the street. Or…so she thought. Now another pair of footsteps echoed as thunder rumbled across the sky. Something about those footsteps made Wendy on edge. As if their pace was trying to match Wendy's; keeping a steady rhythm like he was…following her…

"Hey missy." A gruff voice spoke. "You know it's dangerous for a women to walk alone at night."

"I can handle myself but thanks for your concern." Wendy responded in an icy tone.

Footsteps quickened. "I'll walk ya home. Get ya out of the storm."

Wendy sped up as well. "No thank you. Please leave me alone."

"That wasn't an offer, lady. You're coming with me."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Sven paced the room for what seemed like the thousandth time. Ever since Wendy left, he was on edge. No need to worry. She'd be back soon and all would be well. Nothing to fret.

"_I know Wendy. She can handle herself."_ He told himself. _"It's just a quick errand."_

Still. He was getting worse by the second. His little pidgey body was shaking all over. Why why WHY? This wasn't like him! Before, Sven would never be anxious. Even his stomach was in knots. All he could think about was his girl going outside to…

Wait. _His_ girl? When did Wendy become _his_ girl? Why did Sven even think of Wendy as his? Sure, he'd been thinking about her a lot lately. Ok all the time. That girl had been in his thoughts for days on end. Even in his dreams. Sven could picture her perfectly; the silky green hair that flew in the breeze, her soft light skin, the way her hips curved and even those shimmering olive eyes. All Sven wanted was to be with Wendy and see that breath-taking smile.

"_What's going on? I…I never felt this way about anyone."_

Could it be? Had spending all that time with the ranger done something to him? Was it possible that, sometime these last few days, Wendy had gotten under Sven's skin? That what he felt was more than friendship or care.

"_Holy arceus…"_ Sven whispered. _"I think I'm in love. I…I love Wendy…"_

Something shattered. It sounded like glass was breaking but the room was perfectly intact. Sven was about to question this when he cried out in pain. His body felt like it was being electrocuted! The pidgey fell to his side and broke out into spasms. The skin and feathers were numbed completely. Warmth entered Sven's blood and rushed throughout his body, causing the electric-sensation to subside. A white light enveloped Sven, turning him into light itself. He had to close his eyes as the intensity grew brighter by the second. It was hard to tell what was going on. There was stretching, sculpting…forming into something else. Weird but this seemed to be a good feeling. Sven started to accept it.

The glow ended and the warmth faded. There was a dull pain that ached throughout him but it wasn't so bad this time. Sven had control of his body again. His eyes slowly opened, staring at the ceiling.

"Gah…what happened?" He moaned.

Hold on. Something seemed familiar. Sven stared at his wings. They were hands! Human hands! Sven took a look over himself. YES! He was human again!

"_Sven, you've done it! You broke the spell!"_

That voice…

"Latias?" Sven looked around.

"_I'm speaking to you telepathically."_

"Fair enough. But I really did it? I'm free?" Sven asked.

"_You are. You've finally discovered your revelation. The true light in your life."_

Sven smiled. Wendy. Wendy was his true light. And the revelation was that Sven loved her.

"_But we've got a problem. Wendy's in danger."_

The smile disappeared. "What?"

"_There's a bad man in Almia and he's after Wendy. If something isn't done, she'll die."_

"No…" Sven grew pale. "No! I have to save her! Tell me where she is!"

"_Latios will be outside the window in a moment. He'll take you to where they are."_

Right on cue, latios appeared outside the window. Sven quickly opened it, jumped on latios' back, shut the window and held on as latios flew off.

"_I'm glad you had your revelation."_ Latios said.

"Just in time, I hope." Sven muttered.

"_We'll be there soon enough."_ Latios assured. _"Sven, do you know anything about latios and latias?"_

Sven tried to think about it. "Um…you're usually in pairs? Similar psychic powers but with different stats? Usually in warm, tropic places like Hoenn or secluded areas?"

"_True. But we also have a responsibility set on us by destiny. We are the soul pokemon. It is our job to lead people and pokemon to their fate. To save their souls or guide them to soulmates."_ Latios explained. _"You were supposed to get together with your soulmate but your vision was clouded. And thus, you couldn't think clearly or see that your true soulmate was with you all along."_

"You mean Wendy?" Sven blinked. "Wendy's my soulmate?"

"_She is." _

Wow. All this time, Sven had been with his soulmate. He and Wendy were meant for more than just friendship or ranger partner'ing. They were to be together. Sven loved her. And now he was going to make sure she would be safe. He'd give his life to protect her.

Latios landed in Altru park. Sven hopped right off.

"_I will go get my sister and mew for help. Wendy should be somewhere around here."_ Latios said. _"Good luck and be careful."_

Sven raced off, not even bothering with a response. He ran as fast as he could, searching everywhere for a clue that would take him to…

"NO PLEASE STOP! DON'T…!"

BAM!

There was a gun shot. A terrified scream pierced the air. Sven felt his heart skip a beat as he followed it through the park. His feet carried him at blinding speed. The source of the scream was as he feared. There was a forty-something year old man in black clothing, scruffy chin and held a gun in one hand. The other gripped the neck of Wendy, who was horrified. She was forced to lean over the side of the Altru Bridge. Blood dripped from her left arm.

"Shut up!" The man hissed. "You keep squirming, I'll make your death that much slower!"

"Let me go…" Wendy whimpered.

The man smirked. "Let's have some fun."

Sven was filled with blinding rage as the man tried to tear the girl's shirt off. The cowboy dashed right over and gave one hell of a sucker punch to the maniac. Wendy was thrown onto the ground; she coughed up blood a little blood and tried to breathe in air. Sven stepped between his partner and the outlaw.

"Don't you dare touch her." Sven growled.

"S-Sven…" Wendy coughed, shocked to see him.

"Damn it." The outlaw grumbled, readying his gun. "Looks like I'll have to take you out first."

Before the trigger was pulled, Sven sprang into action. He tackled the criminal and started up a fight. The stranger tried to shoot Sven but kept missing. Both men were punching and kicking. Sven had a few hits landed on him but the bad guy got a lot of strikes done to him. The fight could go either way. Though he had a black eye and broken nose, Sven didn't back down for a second. He gave it his all. His eyes would shift to Wendy, who watched from several feet away. Her face was scared and hurt which made Sven furious at her would-be kidnapper. How dare he? No one would harm Wendy and get away with it. One scratch on her meant hell for whoever did it. All Sven could think about was keeping his girl safe while taking this brute down.

BAM!

A bullet was fired. It took Sven a moment to register that this one didn't miss. This bullet went straight into his chest. A very heavy pain broke out and seized him. Two more bullets were lodged on the lower chest and stomach region. Sven yelped before leaning against the rails of the bridge for support. Blood seeped through his clothes. He was getting weaker by the millisecond, unable to fight.

The man laughed. "Cowboy ain't so tough now, is he?"

Lighting struck the skies as thunder boomed. The bad guy walked over and pointed the gun to Sven's head.

"SVEN!" Wendy screamed.

"Say goodbye to your girlfriend, there." The man sneered. "Cause once you're out of the way, she's all mine for the taking."

No! It couldn't end like this! Sven wouldn't let it! The ranger summoned up every last bit of strength inside him. Sven's arm lurched out and grabbed the wrist of the hand that held the gun. Before the convict could react, Sven twisted the arm and flipped the man over the railing to the bridge. So the man fell. He yelled as he fell down the long way to the river below. There was a splash, then nothing. The convict was gone.

Sven collapsed to the bridge, trying to breathe. Blood was pouring from the bullet wounds, mixing with the rain that started pouring down from above. Wendy scrambled over to Sven's side, lifting his head into her lap.

"Sven..." Wendy's voice shook.

"It's ok. I'm here, Wen'." Sven's own voice was weak. "Everything's alright."

"No it's not! You're hurt! And it's all my fault!" Wendy responded. "I was just trying to get medicine for a pidgey and I…"

"Wendy."

Wendy stopped. Sven stared into her eyes with a serious expression and Wendy stared into his own eyes. It was a little while before her eyes grew wide and muscles tensed up.

"Y-you….you were the pidgey." She realized.

"I was." Sven sighed.

"But how? Why? Sven, I thought you were….you can't possibly…" Wendy stammered.

"Wendy. I was put under a spell." Sven paused a moment, feeling a sharp pain in his lungs and heart. "I…I couldn't tell you or anyone I was a pidgey. In order for me to…to break free of that spell, I had to realize the truth. To find the light in my life…"

Blood coughed up. Wendy's hold on him grew tight.

"These past few days…I…watched you. Saw the real you. I learned…so much. And I was happy. You're beautiful, smart, feisty and…*cough* a joy to be with. You made me realize the truth." Sven weakly continued. "Wendy, I love you."

"Oh Sven…"

"I…I shouldn't have…gone after those other girls. Blind. I-I was blind before." Sven murmured. "But I see now. You're my light. My soulmate."

Tears fell from Wendy's eyes. A sob escaped her throat as her fingers traced Sven's face. Sven could feel himself growing far away. As if he was slipped from his hold on life.

"I love you too." Wendy whispered.

Sven smiled. He forced his hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Wendy's ear. The hand helped him lean forward, to which Wendy did the same. Their eyes closed and lips made contact. So soft and sweet…better than Sven would've imagined. Best kiss of his life. All the kisses he's ever had with those other girls could never compare to this one. If Sven had to die, then he would die happy.

As their passionate kiss went on, neither noticed a lavender glow surrounding them. Not at first anyways. It's warmth and glow radiated around their bodies. Sven soon found he could breathe easier. His mind was clear as the pain ceased. He could feel the bullets disintegrating as the wounds healed themselves.

When the kiss was over, both he and Wendy found they were restored to full health. As if there wasn't any damage done to them at all. Wendy smiled and leapt into Sven's arms, hugging him. Sven was smiling as well, holding her tight. A glance to the trees found that there was someone responsible for the magic healing. Actually, three someones. All watching with emotional expressions.

"Do you really mean it?"

"Hm?" Sven blinked.

"What you said." Wendy looked up at him. "Do you mean it?"

"Of course I do." Sven answered in a gentle voice. "You're the one I want to be with. Not for a day, not for a week but forever. You are my one and only soulmate."

Wendy smiled. Sven pecked her nose, locking hands with her. Together, they rose from the bridge and walked back home.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"_YAY! They're together!"_ Mew sang.

"_Whew…what a relief!"_ Latias sighed_. "Here I thought we'd be too late!"_

"_It was soooo romantic! An epic fight, declaration of love, a kiss as death was near!"_ Mew danced around.

"_Thanks for your help, mew."_ Latios bowed his head. _"Without your powers, we might not have gotten Sven and Wendy together."_

"_Oh no problem! I like helping friends! And now I like helping couples get together_!" Mew clapped its paws.

"_Well this isn't a typical mission for us…"_ Latias sweatdrop.

"_Hey, anytime you want my help, you say so! I can totally do this again!"_ Mew said.

"_Actually, we do have another mission_." Latios told it. _"Two young Oblivian rangers, a boy and girl, are too stubborn to admit their feelings for one another. And should they hold out any longer, their destinies will crumble. What happens next could be catastrophic."_

"_Oooh! Oooh! I definitely wanna help!"_ Mew grew excited. _"I can cast more spells! Should I turn them into pokemon? Or recreate a famous love story? Or make 'em drink love potions? So many possibilities!"_

"_That settles it."_ Latias giggled. _"Off to Oblivia!"_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Yowzers! Took me three times as long to write as my usual stuff! And a lot of energy and focus went into this!**

**Chia: Lots of words here…. O_O**

**Yep. 27 word document pages. Longer than a lot of stuff.**

**Chia: Hey is there a character reference in this story?**

**You mean Seren. She's an OC to a friend of mine. And also the same girl is going to be co-authoring with me soon on a project of sorts. You find that OC, you find the culprit. Good luck!**

**Chia: Next update?**

**Ack… *falls onto floor* After I sleep off writer's cramp. Hopefully soon…**


	8. Monsters Inc (Part 1)

**And featuring today's crossover is one of my favorite childhood movies! MONSTERS INC!**

**Chia: Not bad. Kinda like the idea where this would take us.**

**Plus we've got a cast that has interesting roles. And to one of my fans, you might like how your favorite character got a part in this story *winks* Enjoy!**

**Chia: Plus read and review!**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Cast List

_Sullivan/Sully – Keith_

_Mike – Kellyn_

_Boo – Kate (younger)_

_Randall – Red Eyes_

_Guest Star: Ranger Seren (from hitachiitwinsfan's ranger story)_

_Plus an assorted range of ranger characters playing as random Monsters Inc characters._

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

You all know the world of Pokemon. Where humans and pokemon live together peacefully; be it trainers, coordinators, rangers or such. There are thousands of pokemon kinds out there. But while professors are trying to find them all, they'd never suspect a different type of pokemon is closer than they think. And, in fact, they are only seen briefly by small children.

In the dead of night, a child will awaken to hear strange sounds. Their parents tell them it's the house settling or the tree branches knocking the window. In reality, that's hardly ever the case. For something is lurking in their bedroom. And when the kids are at their primal stage of terror, that something attacks. The child will scream indefinitely at the monster that appears to them.

However, it's not really a monster.

See, there is another race of hybrids. They're half human, half pokemon. Sort of like what you 'artists' call gijinkas. They have human forms but dress (or have body parts of) pokemon. And they have many of the powers as well. This other race comes from the closet of the child, from their own world. Yes there is a world of these hybrids who live their lives like you and me. The hybrids are usually peaceful, meaning no real harm to anyone.

So why the midnight scares, you ask? See, the source of electricity is more than pokemon power or the usual methods. In order to support to support the vast amount of electricity needed, the hybrids need to borrow the humans for extra help. The factor, Pokemon Inc, has its employees venture through the doors to the human world, scare the children and collect their screams which become energy. The hybrids believe this to be a dangerous practice, since it's told that us humans are 'toxic'. That one touch could render someone ill.

But the job must be done for the well-being of the hybrid's world…

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

6:00 am in Poketopolis, Hybrid World.

A teenage growlithe hybrid with red spiky hair slept in his apartment room bed. Sunlight lit up the room in a beautiful glow as their air was filled with soft snores. Peaceful scene.

"HOLY ARCEUS THE APARTMENT'S ON FIRE! KEITH WE HAVE TO GO RIGHT NOW!"

The teen, Keith, sat straight up in a panic. His green eyes darted everywhere at once.

"Who? What? Where?" Keith stammered. "Kellyn, what's going on?"

Keith stared at the face of his roommate; a teen with light brown hair and greenish blue eyes. Kellyn, a buizel hybrid, smirked.

"False alarm!" He sang.

"YOU IDIOT!" Keith whacked him with the pillow.

Kellyn laughed. "Hey come on! I wanted to get some training done!"

"Screw that." Keith dove back under the covers. "I'm going back to sleep."

"Very well. If that's how you feel. I'll have to….WATER GUN ATTACK!"

"ACK! NO NO NO! BLUB BLUB BLUB GAAACK! OK I'M UP! CUT THE WATERWORKS, WILL YA?"

Keith got up and went to the living room with his friend. Kellyn coached Keith as they went through a rigorous workout session. Pushups, sitsups, upside down curlups, martial arts…all that. And then of course attack practice.

"Gimme a roar!" Kellyn shouted.

"GRAAAAAWWWWLLLL!"

"No, no. A roar! Not a growl! ROAR!" Kellyn urged.

"ROAAAAAARRRRRRR!"

"There we go!" Kellyn fist pumped. "Ok now give me a powerhouse of a flamethrower!"

"…inside our living room?" Keith blinked.

Kellyn paused. "…ok right. Not a good idea. Especially what happened last time. You did good. Better get ready for work."

Kellyn had already dressed and was good to go. Keith used this time to change from pajamas (that got very sweaty) into his outfit. Quick teeth brush, whipping his hair into its awesome shape and grabbing a packed lunch. Next thing they knew, both boys were out the door and out of the apartment building.

"I'm tellin ya! If Pokemon Inc is asking us to star that new commercial, then it's only a matter of time before my handsome face is seen across tv!" Kellyn boasted.

"You mean on the Poketopolis' Most Wanted?" Keith teased.

"Oh ha ha ha." Kellyn grumbled, irritated at the joke. "You've been jealous of my good looks since school. Let's just get in my car and…"

"Nope. Not today." Keith stopped him.

"WHAT! Why…?"

"We're walking." Keith said, dragging his friend away from where the car was parked. "You didn't hear about that scream shortage?"

"Yes I heard! BUT I WANNA DRIVE!" Kellyn moaned, flailing his arms. "Know even why I bought a car?"

"I honestly don't care." Keith muttered.

"To drive it! A hot stud like me should be seen behind the wheels of a red sports car!" Kellyn pouted.

The buizel hybrid kept grieving over the walk to work so Keith spaced out. He looked around at the nice neighborhood. Little kids were playing jump rope, shops were opening up, a magby hybrid sneeze-flamed its newspaper (Keith choked back the laughter) and people were off to work on this nice morning. There was a marketplace where an Ambipom hybrid stocked fresh berries on the stands.

"Hey guys!" The hybrid greeted.

"Yo Murph!"

"Hey it's Murph!"

"So is it true?" Murph asked. "Are you guys close to that all time scaring record?"

"This guy right here. We'll become etched in history as the most awesome scare scorers!" Kellyn nudged Keith.

"Just making sure there's enough scream for us all!" Keith responded.

"Good luck!" Murph said, tossing them each oran berries. "Take some breakfast! Gotta stay sharp!"

"Thanks Murph!" Kellyn and Keith thanked as they left.

They arrived at a crosswalk, waiting for the 'don't stalk' to turn into 'stalk'. Another hybrid was already waiting. A luxray hybrid with a western appearance.

"Morning Sven." Keith greeted.

"Hey guys!" Sven high-fived the redhead. "See ya on the scare floor!"

The crosswalk changed with Sven racing off once more. Keith and Kellyn walked behind.

"See? Sven walks to work." Keith pointed out.

"Oh big deal." Kellyn mumbled. "The dude has high agility and speed EV points anyways. Big whoop."

Up ahead was a grand building that looked like it could stretch for miles. Surrounded by parking lot (lots of cars and hybrids getting out of them). The duo crossed that section and opened the main doors into the grand lobby. A large circular room bustling with activity. Hybrids were all over the place, trying to get where they needed to go.

"Morning Keith!"

"Hey Lunick!"

"Keith dude!"

"Meet ya on the scare floor later, Crawford! Good luck!"

"Solana? Hey! How did that meeting go?"

Keith passed by the 'Hybrid of the Month' wall, where his and Kellyn's pictures were posted. Yeah he had a reputation for being the best. His growlithe powers could rake in more screams than anyone! With Kellyn as his backup helper, the two were unstoppable! Keith found two scare interns (scare employee potentials) were looking over the pics with interest.

"Hey Ben. Hey Summer." Keith waved.

"Keith!"

The pichu boy and the pachirisu girl ran over to Keith.

"Er…um… Mister Keith?" Summer shyly spoke up.

"Guys, just call me Keith!" Keith said.

"But you're too cool for that!" Summer giggled.

"You're the pro! You deserve respect like Arceus!" Ben told him. "We want to wish you luck and…"

"Hey, don't ya think you're making Keith lose focus? Throw him off his game with this conversation?" Kellyn joked. "Let's get going Keith."

"Oh no!" Summer gasped.

"See ya!" Keith saluted before going off with Kellyn.

"GO GET EM MISTER KEITH!" Ben called after him.

"Idiot!" Summer smacked his head. "You're making him lose his focus!"

"Ack! Aw no!" Ben gasped. "SORRY!"

"Shut up!"

"JUST KEEP SCARING AND DON'T LISTEN TO THE SOUND OF MY-…"

"YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE!"

At the very far end of the lobby was a small operator's table. A cute piplup girl with long black hair and deep blue eyes was busy answering calls.

"Pokemon Inc, please hold. Pokemon Inc, I'll connect you. Pokemon Inc, you have the wrong number." The girl said into the phone. "I'm sorry but Linda's on vacation. Would you like me to leave her a voicemail or get you through to someone else?"

Kellyn smoothed his hair and leaned on the desk. Keith rolled his eyes as his friend turned on the 'cool charm'.

"Oh Seren sweetie." He greeted with a suave voice.

Seren gasped, her face lit up. "Kellyn cutie!"

"Happy birthday, babygirl." Kellyn said.

"Kellyn, dear! You remembered!" Seren blushed, then briefly glanced at Keith. "Morning Keith!"

"Morning Seren. Happy birthday." Keith congratulated, though he just wanted to get going.

"Thanks. So Kellyn, are we doing anything special tonight?" Seren asked.

"Oh nothing much." Kellyn grinned. "I got us into a nice little joint. Not sure if you've heard of a place called 'Ollie's Spot'…."

"Ollie's Spot!" Seren's eyes were wide. "B-but that place is so popular! Impossible to get reservations there!"

"Not for my sweetheart." Kellyn kissed her nose. "I see you at quitting time! Just get through this work day and I'm all yours!"

"I'll try." Seren giggled.

"Think romantical thoughts! You and me! Me and you! Both of us together!"

Keith gagged and started to walk off to the locker rooms. Couldn't withstand any more of this talk. Kellyn charmed his girlfriend for a little bit before joining Keith. They got through the swarms of other guy hybrids who were preparing for the day.

"I'm telling ya, Keith! Seren's the one! She's got to be!" Kellyn opened his locker, feeling excited.

"Happy for ya but could you please keep the lovey doviness to a minimum? At least in public?" Keith sweatdropped.

Kellyn ignored the request. "Thanks for hooking me up with that reservation, by the way. Totally rocks to have the best scare-hybrid as my partner."

"No prob. By the way, the reservation's under the name 'Kelly'." Keith smirked.

"Great I…" Kellyn stopped, then glared at the laughing redhead. "Not funny. That was so not funny."

SLAM!

Huh? The locker door closed on it's own? Kellyn tried to open it again but SLAM! Happened again.

"What the…?" Kellyn muttered.

"KELLYN!"

"WAAAHHHHH!"

Kellyn fell backwards, tripping over the bench between locker rows. He hit his head against the floor, with Keith staring (a little startled). The two looked back towards Kellyn's locker to see someone standing there. A kecleon hybrid who used his powers to blend into the lockers, then pop out to scare them.

The hybrid snickered. "Well what do you know? Scares little kids _and_ little hybrids."

"I wasn't scared!" Kellyn snapped. "I…uh…I attacked the floor. With my back. Cause I'm that skilled."

"Yeah right." The hybrid scoffed.

"Hey, Red Eyes." Keith spoke up. "Save it for the scare floor, will ya?"

"I am in the zone today, Keithy boy! I'll be scoring some very big numbers! Gonna rock this world."

"Interesting. You aim to break the record?" Kellyn questioned, folding his arms.

"You know it." Red Eyes responded.

"Ain't that cute? Too bad we're going to beat the record first." Kellyn stuck his tongue out.

"Shhhhhh…" Red Eyes looked to the side, acting dramatic. He then started to whisper. "Hear that? That's the winds of change."

Red Eyes got up and walked away. Kellyn stared after him that could almost cause lightning to fall from the heavens.

"You hear that? You hear the winds of change?" He mocked. "What a jerkaholic! Big ol' loser!"

Flash forward. The guys were done prepping in the locker room. Keith had to go join the other 'scare hybrids' which left Kellyn to go towards the scare floor on his own. But first to bypass the operator in charge of that area; Rhythmi. Kellyn strolled on up to her post and put on a brightening smile.

"Good morning, Rhythmi! My you look lovely today." Kellyn laid a hand on his scare folder, which rested on counter. "So what sort of scaring will be done today?"

Rhythmi's eyes held an icy death glare to them. Not a good sign.

"Kellyn. You didn't file the paperwork correctly yesterday." Rhythmi growled.

"Oh that darn paperwork." Kellyn shot her the cute anime-eyes, acting innocent. "Wouldn't it just be better if it all just…it just blew away?"

"DON'T. LET IT. HAPPEN. AGAIN." Rhythmi hissed threateningly.

"Heh…" Kellyn sweatdropped. "I, uh, will be…gulp…less…careless…"

"I'm keeping an eye on you, Kellyn." Rhythmi warned.

Kellyn, scared of the pretty but very scary operator, grabbed his file and immediately ran off towards the floor.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Chia: That's it?**

**It's only part 1. I'll write and upload more in due time. When I'll upload the next parts? That remains to be seen. Next updates for stories will be soon!**


	9. Wait! We're not babysitters!

**Chia: No Monsters Inc?**

**Nope! Took a short break to write this chapter! Heck, I might write in the other stories (or first parts to them) first before going back to that!**

**Chia: ….Sky. You learned this over and over again. Don't tease the readers. They have freaking machetes, armies of pokemon and sharp teeth.**

**Read, review and DON'T KILL ME PLEASE! *cries***

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Like 'Transformation', this story isn't technically a crossover. This one-shot was based on a conversation I had with hitachiitwinsfan989 (another awesome ranger writer). Also I give the OC Seren credit to HTF. Needed to pair Kellyn with someone after all.

Thank you and enjoy the story!

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_A bright, sunny day in Almia. All was calm and peaceful. _

"GIVE ME BACK MY UNDERWEAR, YOU JERK!"

"Gotta catch me first!"

_Ok so I lied._

_The Ranger Union was usually bustling with activity. But today, it was mostly empty. See, there was a ranger meeting and a few training prep courses that were going on in other regions. Some regions even were opening up new bases in far off regions like Unova. Rangers, operators and mechanics either visited or had to go. So the Union was on hiatus for the next week in order to attend these events. _

_Though it wasn't completely abandoned. Professor Hastings and Chairperson Erma left several people behind to keep an eye on Almia while they left. Four top rangers; Keith, Kate, Wendy and Sven had to do occasional patrols to make sure all was well. Rhythmi the operator was there to recharge stylers and keep things in order. Issac (who worked for the Union as a researcher) knew basics for repairing stylers should anything go wrong. Barlow, Elaine and the Vientown operator went to the meetings so it was decided Crawford and Luana would take over patrolling for Vientown & Chicole. But they stayed in the guest room at the Union. And what are the odds? Ben and Summer (Kate's cousin) use their week off to come visit. Kellyn and Seren (old ranger school friends) from Fiore had as well._

_Ten crazy people. One Union all to themselves. And a crazy week-long party that promised a whole lot of laughs. What could possibly go wrong?_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Issac? Rhythmi? What're you doing in here?"

Late afternoon, Kate poked her head into the research lab. Issac was hard at work on a machine while Rhythmi sat on a nearby table.

"Keeping Issac company." Rhythmi said.

"Sorry about that! I'll join you soon!" Issac apologized sheepishly. "I'm just working on a project."

"Project? What're you working on?" Kate asked, walking into the room.

"DAMN IT!"

Wendy and Seren burst into the room, shutting the door behind them. Wow did they look ticked.

"Sven and Kellyn driving you crazy again?" Kate assumed.

"When is he not?" Wendy rubbed her temples. "And I think those other guys are actually encouraging him. Damn it all."

"WHY WHY WHY!" Seren groaned. "Always obsessed with his looks!"

"You were saying, Issac?" Kate said to the blond genius.

"This machine, here, is powered by blah blah blah blah which converts energy to blah blah blah and molecules which blah the blah. Blah blah." Issac explained in scientific words. "What I'm saying is that this machine will be a method for relaxing. A way for rangers to unwind after rough missions."

"Sounds good to me!" Wendy grinned.

"How's it work?" Kate asked.

"The machine has a chamber there." Issac pointed to a tall capsule beside the machine. "One person steps in and steam will be released into the pod. The molecules will be absorbed by the person's skin and into the bloodstream. There they will travel to the muscles, relaxing them and getting rid of tension."

"Like a spa! But for rangers only." Rhythmi chimed.

"Count me in if you want a test subject." Wendy said.

"Well it's not quite complete yet. Just a few spare parts and tweaking before I can test it out!" Issac finished. "Actually, I think I need to go get them now. Do any of you mind while I run and get the supplies?"

"Nope."

"We can wait."

"Go right ahead."

"Hurry back Issac!"

Issac flashed a smile before leaving the lab. The door, mere seconds later, burst open again but did not have Issac. Instead it was Luana and Summer, who closed the door and locked it up.

"STUPID CRAWFORD!"

"BEN YOU PERVERT!"

The other three girls sweatdropped.

"Uh…should I ask?" Kate spoke up.

"Ben and Crawford decided it'd be fun to steal our bras. While we're wearing them." Summer growled. "I can't believe my partner is such an immature jerk."

"They're total babies." Luana sniffled.

"Sven's been driving me up the wall too. I'm telling ya, those guys are going to drive us all insane." Wendy sighed. "It's like their brains are farther down south than they should be."

"Ha. Ben's always like that." Summer muttered.

"You're not alone. Keith can be such a pain sometimes." Kate said. "Rhythmi here's the only one who's got herself a decent guy."

"WHAT!" Rhythmi blushed. "Oh no no no! I'm not…h-he isn't…we aren't actually…"

The blonde operator stammered nervously, as if her brain was broken. But she was interrupted as the machine started making funny noises. A few click's and whirrs before buttons colorfully lit up.

"Uh, Rhyth? Is the machine supposed to do that?" Kate asked.

Rhythmi looked unsure. "I don't think so. Issac didn't even start it up yet."

"Weird." Wendy commented.

"So what is this thing? Some sort of teleportation pod?" Summer asked.

"Better not be! Remember that movie where the guy stepped on a teleportation pad and then so did this bug pokemon? They mutated into a gross super creature!" Luana said.

Seren shuddered. "Yuck! Creepy movie! Why the hell did the guys choose that?"

"To scare us." Kate answered. "We'll give them double payback tonight by picking a chick flick."

"But we hate chick flicks." Summer reminded.

Wendy smirked. "But they hate them more."

KACHUNK! KACHUNK! CLICK CLICK CLICK! WHIIRRRRRRR!

The machine's sounds were getting louder and weirder. Very strange. What the heck was wrong with this machine? Something was clearly off.

"Should we get Issac or….?" Wendy started to say.

"He'll be back soon." Rhythmi assured, though a bit nervous herself. "I'm sure the machine's just making noises cause it's supposed to. A sign it's working good."

"Hey there's words on the screen!" Luana pointed out.

_PREPARING JUVENESCENCE MIST_

"What the heck does Ju-ven-whatever mean?" Seren asked, reading the screen.

"Maybe another word for relaxation?" Kate shrugged.

"Whatever it means, that machine's starting up! I think it's going to launch the experiment!" Wendy said.

"And the pod's not yet complete!" Rhythmi yelped.

"We've got to do something!" Luana spoke up. "That thing might blow up on us!"

"I dunno what to do! Issac's the only one who can shut this thing off!" Rhythmi panicked.

_PREPARATION COMPLETE. RELEASING JUVENESCENCE MIST!_

"WAIT NO…!"

The machine sputtered. Mist didn't come through the pod but instead, through the machine itself. Within seconds, a thick cloudy fog of light pink engulfed the entire room. The girls coughed and wheezed in this thick, bittersweet air. Kate tried to run for the door but soon collapsed. Her muscles felt like iron weights that dragged her down. Breathing was hard. All the other girls fell to the floor, experiencing the same thing. Katie's body was tingling; inside and out. This air…this strange air was doing something to her. It didn't relax the muscles at all. Instead it was doing something completely different.

Her body broke out into a cold sweat. Spasms erupted all over as her heart raced. Blood felt like it sped through her like go-karts. Kate's voice moaned in pain at this unnatural change. The other girls were crying out in agony as well. Before blacking out, Kate was almost sure that her clothes had gotten bigger…

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_So what happened to our friends? Did they die? YES!...of course not, silly. I'm the writer. And while killing off characters is dramatic, I won't be doing that in this story. All I've done so far is activate that machine. Granted the error on that relaxation mist was totally Issac's fault but the rest? Totally me._

_Where was I? Right. Back to the story, where we join the guys…_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The guys (Keith, Kellyn Sven, Ben and Crawford) were walking downstairs to the second floor, talking about this and that. Ready to heckle the girls some more. But what they saw was Issac desperately trying to open the door to the lab. He was calling the girls names in alarm which caused some concern for the guys, naturally.

"Yo Issac!" Keith ran over. "What's going on in there?"

"I-it's the girls! They're stuck inside! The door's locked!" Issac stumbled over his words. "I…I dunno why but they won't answer! And there's smoke!"

Sure enough, pink mist floated from under the crack in the doorway. It evaporated into the regular air fairly quick.

"Is that a fire?" Kellyn's eyes grew wide.

"It looks like the mist from my machine I'm working on! B-but it's not finished! That stuff might hurt them!" Issac stammered.

"Stand away from the door." Crawford took a few steps back. "TARGET CLEAR!"

With powerful steps, Crawford leapt forward and slammed his whole body against the door. Severely weakened but not fully off. Sven ripped it off the hinges, throwing the door off to the side.

"KATE!"

"SEREN!"

"RHYTHMI!"

"LUANA!"

"SUMMER!"

"WENDY!"

The boys cried out names but no one answered. All of the pink mist died down, evaporating into thin air. All of the guys went into the lab only to discover none of the girls were there. They disappeared. Only their clothes were left behind.

"No way…" Issac grew pale. "Did I…? Are they…?"

"No. No there has to be some other explanation for this." Sven shook his head.

"Maybe they're running around somewhere? Having some sexy nude party?" Ben nervously joked to which Crawford gave an equally nervous chuckle.

Everyone stepped in farther.

"Gah gah."

They paused. A sound. It came from one of the piles of clothes. Keith cautiously walked over to the source. He lifted the shirt to see what was inside.

A baby? A small baby girl with familiar spiky brown hair and big blue eyes.

"K-Kate?" Keith gasped.

"No way!" Crawford took a look. "That can't be Kate!"

"It is! See? The hair is exactly the same! Even as a baby! And she looks so much like her!" Keith pointed out.

The guys glanced at each other. They ran over to the other clothes to take a look.

"Rhythmi?"

"Seren? Is…is that you?"

"Summer!"

"Luana? Are you…are you really y-you?"

The cold, shocking realization dawned on all the guys. Each and every single girl, their partners, had turned into babies. This was almost impossible to believe! But here they were! Little infants that crawled about, smiling innocently. Issac scrambled to the machine and typed things in.

"There were viruses in the programming! They're gone now but it changed my mist!" Issac told the others. "It was a juvenescence mist, which translates to a youth fog. That mist was absorbed into their bodies and it turned back the clock!"

…..

"We are in SO much trouble…" Ben gulped.

"Big time." Keith agreed.

"Something tells me the Union won't be please to find babies instead of rangers." Kellyn shivered, thinking how bad this situation was.

"Issac? You think you can fix it?" Sven asked.

"I-I think so." Issac replied. "I'll have to run some tests, make adjustments and create a mist that can return them to normal. But it should be doable. I can get this situation resolved before the week is over."

No one heard him mutter 'I hope'. They were too busy staring at the babies that were their partners. For awhile, no one spoke. Too much shock.

"Alright then." Issac sighed. "It may be some time so we'll need to learn to look after babies and…er…get used to this transition."

"So we grab our partners and go back to our rooms?" Keith assumed.

"It's a good idea. Though we may need some supplies as well." Issac said. "We may need two of us to go to the store and get supplies."

"I'll go." Keith volunteered.

"I'm with him." Kellyn offered.

"Crawford and I can look after Kate and Seren while you're out." Issac said. "If that's ok with you, Crawford."

"Uh yeah. Sure." Crawford mumbled, still looking at Luana.

"Everyone clear on what to do?"

Slight nods.

"Ok. Then let's…um…go."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Keith and Kellyn went off to the store in Pueltown for supplies. Issac and Crawford hung out in the lab to watch after three of the girls. Meanwhile, Ben and Sven retreated to their own rooms to chill out and think this entire thing over.

Though Sven had no idea what to think of it, actually. Wendy had turned into a baby. A BABY. Seriously? Not even half an hour ago she was a smart-mouthed, feisty woman who smacked the cowboy's head for teasing her. Now? A tiny, helpless little baby who was playing on the floor. This was way too weird.

"I don't have experience with little kids." Sven muttered. "How the hell am I supposed to care for a baby?"

"Hewl! Hewl!"

Sven blinked. He looked over at Wendy with surprise. She had copied what he said. Now Wendy was looking up at him with her shimmering green eyes. Same green eyes, same long emerald hair and she even the same way she carelessly said hell. That was Wendy; no doubt about it.

"Huh. Kinda cute." Sven admitted.

Wendy looked to see Sven's cowboy hat on the floor. She stared at it with much curiosity. Her tiny fingers grabbed it, studying the object. Sven hoped it wasn't going in her mouth. That was his favorite red hat after all. But no. Instead, Wendy took the hat and placed it over her head. She laughed as the hat itself covered her entire head.

Sven laughed as well. "Ok that's pretty epic!"

He took Wendy into his arms. Wendy pushed the hat off, looking at Sven. A big grin on her face.

"I guess if I had to be with a baby, then I'm glad it's you, partner." Sven grinned.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Issac! One's heading for the hammer!"

"Got her! Get Seren! I think she wandered off again!"

Crawford and Issac were all over the place, trying to keep track of the girls. Seren, Kate and Luana seemed to have tendencies to crawl away and get into trouble. Rhythmi was the only one who actually behaved. She sat on the floor, staring at the guys as they ran all over the place.

"There has to be an easier way to do this…" Crawford wearily said, catching Luana.

"Hmmmm…" Issac thought it over. "I remember when my sister was little, she'd settle down with a toy as a distraction. Maybe we should do that with the girls."

Crawford spied Seren's camera in the pocket of her clothes. He got it and gave the camera to Seren. Seren eyed it with much curiosity. Her fingers grabbed the camera, looking it over. Ha. Even as a baby, Seren was a camera lover. Must've been born that way. Now to distract the others.

Issac gave Rhythmi a calculator to play with and let Kate have a wrench (deemed to be the safest of the work tools). They seemed to be good with the 'toys' they got. But how to distract Luana? Crawford was stumped.

"Ummm…what's green, leafy and sings really well? Elvis Parsley!" Crawford cracked a joke.

Luana blinked. She tipped her head in confusion. Obviously didn't get it.

"I think humor's lost on infants, Crawford." Issac sweatdropped. "No, no Rhythmi. You press the buttons."

"Bawtons?" Rhythmi tried to imitate, pressing buttons like Issac showed her.

Crawford turned his attention back to Luana. What did she like again? Eyes looked around for something to use as a toy. Aha! Keys! Crawford got the keys off the table and started to dangle them in front of Luana.

"You like shiny things?" Crawford asked her.

Luana smiled wide, her hands trying to reach for the toy. Crawford grinned as he played with Luana. Her laugh made his heart melt.

"SO CUTE!" Crawford exclaimed, hugging her. "Hey Issac! You sure we can't keep them this way?"

Issac chuckled. He went back to playing with his own girl. Luckily, Kate and Seren were entertained by their own toys. It was a few minutes before Keith and Kellyn came back in. They carried bags of baby stuff that would come in handy.

"I was hoping you'd resolve the issue before we got back." Kellyn said.

"Yeah! We kept the receipt!" Keith added as he put the bags on the table.

"Sorry but no luck." Issac responded. "I'll get started on it soon. In the mean time, can you take Kate and Seren? No idea if we can keep them busy much longer."

"Sure." Both boys replied.

Kate was scooped up by Keith while Kellyn took Seren. Both boys went off to their rooms, where they'd keep a better eye on them.

"I'm going to get started on the machine." Issac said. "You think you can handle Luana on your own?"

"Can I borrow these keys?" Crawford asked.

"Yeah."

"Then sure thing." Crawford turned to Luana. "Hey little buddy. We're going for a walk, kay?"

"Kay! Kay!" Luana happily cheered.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Kellyn and Keith walked down the halls with their partners in their arms. Seren was doing alright, looking about with curious eyes. Though Kate squirmed around, anxious to leave Keiths' grip.

"Settle down!" Keith tried to hold his girl down. "We're almost there!"

At that time, Ben came out of his guest room. He seemed worn out and possibly annoyed about something. Meanwhile, Summer was resting in his arms with a little smile.

"Having fun?" Kellyn asked, knowing the answer.

"Not one bit." Ben sighed. "I thought Summer as a baby would be fun! This is such a pain! Hey, did you guys get the supplies?"

"In the bags on the lab table." Keith replied.

"Good." Ben said. "Cause someone needs a diaper change."

"Ew!" Keith gagged.

"What? I thought you wanted to get into Summer's pants." Kellyn smirked.

"NOT THIS WAY!" Ben moaned.

Keith and Kellyn snickered as Ben shoved his way past them, making his way out of the dorm halls to the lab. Keith went to his room while Kellyn ducked into his. Kellyn laid down on his bed, putting Seren on top of his chest.

"So this is what Seren's like as a baby." He thought.

Blue eyes with short, tussled black hair. Chubby cheeks that, when older, would turn skinny. Though she was in baby form, this was Seren. Kellyn found it hard to believe she turned back the clock. But…this might not be so bad. He could cuddle her without being karate chopped or hearing loud protests. In fact, baby Seren might like it.

Ok, so Kellyn had a long-time crush on his partner. He liked her a LOT. Her sweet looks, the outgoing personality, the tiny details that made Seren who she was…Kellyn adored it all. And Kellyn tried to show his affection with hugs and playful teasing. He even tried to make himself more handsome (fretting a lot about his looks) so he'd be good enough for her. All which earned him some hard smacks. Kellyn kept trying to get Seren's heart, failing every time. One of these days, she had to feel the same way. The dude was almost sure of it.

Seren lifted her head to stare into Kellyn's face, studying it. Too darn cute. Kellyn rubbed the hair on her soft little head. Seren reached her tiny hand out to squeeze Kellyn's nose. Kellyn laughed, which in turn, caused Seren to giggle. Her hand bonked the boy's head several times playfully.

"You are adorable, you know that?" Kellyn chuckled.

The baby yawned in response. Her eyes slowly closed as the head rested on Kellyn's chest. Looks like she was going to sleep. Kellyn lightly kissed her forehead and settled down for a nap as well.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

In Keith's room, Kate was playing on the floor. Keith had gotten her a stuffed pikachu as a toy. The redhead himself laid down on the floor, watching his partner at play. Kate as a baby was different than her older self. That stubborn part of her personality must've come in later. And for the most part, Kate was pretty quiet. But she still loved pokemon. Only went for the pokemon toys and nothing else. Had a sense of curiosity in her. And she always smiled. Keith was learning more and more about his partner in time.

"Pika." Kate pointed to the Pikachu toy.

"Yep. That's right." Keith said. "Can you say, Keith?"

Kate looked up at him with inquisitive eyes. "Pika?"

"No. Keith." Keith tried again.

"Ka. Ka ka ka ka." Kate babbled, sucking her thumb.

If that was a habit as a baby, Keith thought it was miraculous how she didn't get giant buck teeth.

"Keith." Keith pronounced for her.

"Key." Kate said, then pointed to Keith. "Kiki."

"Yeah! Kiki! That's right!" Keith smiled.

Not exact but hey, pretty darn close! Kate sensed his happiness and clapped her hands, excited. The girl crawled closer to Keith. She grabbed one of red spikes in his hair, pulling on it with force.

"Ow! Hey!"

Kate giggled. She used her hand bonk Keith's head several time. Yep. Same ol' Kate. Hadn't changed much since her early years. Keith handed her the Pikachu doll, causing her to stop and snuggle that. Such a sweetheart. Well…not just as a baby either.

"You probably won't remember this or maybe you can't hear me, Kate." Keith took a deep breath. "But…I like you. I really like you."

The little girl fell to her side, chewing on pikachu's ear while gazing at Keith.

"You're a really great person to be with. Cheerful, fun to be with and full of spirit. I can't help but smile around you. I've been smiling since the first day you came to ranger school." Keith confessed. "Whether you're a baby or your normal age, I'll always have feelings for you."

Kate blinked. "Kiki."

She crawled on the floor, back over to Keith. There she rested against Keith and hugged the toy. Keith smiled softly, stroking her hair and playing alongside her.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_A few hours went by. The guys had a lot to learn about looking after babies. Diaper changing? Not fun. None of them took it well. And feeding was a challenge. What did they eat? Were they old enough for mashed up stuff or did they need bottles? Seren was good with either but Kellyn preferred holding her close by as he gave her a bottle. Kate and Rhythmi seemed to like the mashed up food better. Summer only took the mashed up food but her thrashing and playing caused most of it not to go into her mouth. Heck, at least half of it ended up in her hair and Ben's. Wendy ate some of the food at first but coughed right back up on Sven's shirt. Sven had to give her bottle formula instead._

_Issac made slight progress but there was still ways to go before the machine could get the girls to normal. He would work some more on the project after dinner (for which the guys ordered pizza). _

_Could it be done? Would Issac find the cure to the dilhemma? Well, readers, you have no choice but to read on!_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Dammit Summer, hold still!"

It was impossible to merely wipe down the food off of Summer. Ben had no choice but to run a bath for her. Of course preparing a bath and getting Summer to take it was two different things. Summer fussed way too much. Her arms thrashed harder than at dinner. In two minutes, Ben was just as soaked as Summer was.

"Sheesh. I finally get to see Summer bare it all and she's got nothing to show." Ben mumbled.

The entire time Summer spent as a baby was a pain. Diaper changing was super gross. After all these months perving on his best friend and he got into her pants. But not the way he wanted. The boy looked through Summer's stuff (mostly the underwear). What was the point? Where was the thrill? He got away with this way too easily. No challenge whatsoever. Now here she was in the tub. And Summer was being even more difficult than usual.

Yeah. Baby Summer was exactly like her older counterpart. Stubborn, troublesome and giving Ben as hard a time as he did to her. Hair was shorted but the same as it always was. Face too (just smaller). Ben had known about the star shaped mark on her shoulder and wondered if it was a birthmark. Now? Proof. It had always been there. Mystery solved.

"Bewn!"

Ben looked down at the girl. She grabbed a psyduck bathtoy, holding it up for Ben.

"Bewn!" Summer said again, mispronouncing the name.

Ben smiled. "Awww…I can't stay mad at you."

He pinched her nose, causing Summer to giggle. Ben took shampoo into his hands and started to massage Summer's head. As a joke, he sculpted the bubbles into a spiky hair style.

"There! We match!" Ben chuckled.

A clump of bubbles floated from the head to Summer's nose. The baby looked at it with crosseyes, surprised. She sneezed it off. Super cute. Ben washed off the rest of the spilled food from Summer while she played with the psyduck toy. Once the water was drained, the little girl was wrapped up in a towel and dried off.

"I guess our first bath together wasn't what I thought it'd be." Ben half-joked. "But still fun, right?"

"Fun!" Summer mimicked.

"But I think it's time for bed. You need sleep." Ben said.

"No."

Wow. Smart as a baby too. Almost adorable how she pouted like that.

"Come on, Summer. Time for bed." Ben insisted.

"NO!"

…this wasn't going to end well.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Late at night. Issac typed away at the computer, trying to get rid of any virus traces and recalibrate the mist. With any luck, there may be a few leads by morning on how to return the girls to normal. It was relief enough for Issac to find that their state could be reversed. He wouldn't know what to do if this was permanent. Heck, Issac wouldn't be able to live with himself if Rhythmi remained as a baby.

Rhythmi was sleeping on a blanket, on the table nearby. Issac could hear her breathing steadily; calm and relaxed. She fell asleep a little while ago with the blanket and that calculator from earlier. How easily amused that girl was. Well behaved too. Didn't give Issac any trouble (though she did throw her juice cup at Keith's head during dinner). Issac easily balanced paying attention to his best friend and working on the computer.

"Nnggg…"

Rhythmi squirmed, eyes squeezing together. Issac glanced over at her.

"Nnnnggg!" Rhythmi stirred.

In two seconds, the blonde girl started crying. The wails sounded like it was a bad dream of sorts. Issac got out of his spot and hurried to Rhythmi. He took Rhythmi into his arms ahs she started crying louder. It made his heart shatter to hear her crying like this.

"Come on, think. What did mom do with Melody when she was this way?" Issac asked himself.

His mind sorted through the sepia toned memories of childhood. Issac was about 8 or 9 when Melody was born. The midnight crying sessions sometimes woke the genius up. He sometimes found mom rocking Melody in the arms, quietly talking or singing to her.

Flash back to the present. Issac tried to copy the way his mom rocked Melody. His arms carefully rocked Rhythmi back and forth, helping her get more comfortable. Issac shushed her as he did so.

"It's ok, Rhythmi. I'm here." He whispered to her. "Everything's going to be ok."

"Waaaahhhhh…" Rhythmi whimpered.

What was the song mom sang? Forgot the name but it still remained deep inside the genius's memory. Issac wasn't much a singer. He got embarrassed when caught humming. But it wasn't as though anyone was there. Just him and Rhythmi, who needed comfort. If this was for Rhythmi, then Issac would find the courage to do this.

"_Let it go. Let it roll right off your shoulders."_ Issac softly sang. "_Don't you know? The hardest part is over. Let it in. Let your clarity define you in the end. You will only just remember how you feel_."

Rhythmi's crying was starting to get quieter as Issac went on. Issac wiped the tears from her face. The girl stared up at Issac as he kept going.

"_All lives meet, in these small hours, these little wonders, these twists and turns of fate. Time falls away but these small hours, these small hours….still remain…."_

The baby slowly closed her eyes. Her head nestled into Issac's chest, listening to his heart beat and song.

"_All of my regret will wash away somehow. But I cannot forget, the way I feel right now."_

In another verse or two, Issac could hear the soft snore again. Rhythmi was asleep. She was set back on the table carefully. The girl slept much easier now. Better than before, actually.

"Rhythmi…" Issac whispered, smoothing her head.

If only he had the courage to tell her how he felt. Maybe Issac was a genius…but he still didn't know how to confess his love for Rhythmi. Yes, he loved her. Issac had always thought Rhythmi was a gorgeous woman with one amazing intellect behind. Over time, those feelings didn't stop growing. It hurt Issac to keep quiet about it. But it'd kill him if his friendhip with Rhythmi was destroyed.

Rhythmi slept away, cuddled in her blanket. Issac shyly planted a kiss on her cheek.

"And to think a beautiful woman blossomed from a small baby." Issac smiled. "Goodnight, Rhythmi."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Everyone went to bed at some point. Most of the guys set their girl on their bed, covered a little bit by a light blanket. Except for Seren and Summer. Ben couldn't quiet Summer down unless he slept with her while Kellyn chose to keep Seren close. It was a peaceful night. Though the guys expected to be woken up at some point, none of the girls gave them trouble. They were all able to sleep smoothly._

_In the darkest hours of the night, when everyone was deep in dreamland, something happened._

_Each of the bedrooms became shrouded in the pink mist again. However, this wasn't the doing of the machine. (Yes, I might've had something to do with it) The boys weren't affected at all by this mist. However, the girls breathed in the mist and it was absorbed through their skin. Another transformation began to take place…. _

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Morning came. Kellyn moaned a little as the sunlight hit his eyes. Time to wake up. Maybe change Seren and then grab some breakfast. Kellyn pried his eyes open, looking for the baby.

There wasn't one.

Instead, sleeping beside him, was Seren. Teenage Seren. Sometime during the night, she was normal again! Kellyn was feeling a mixture of emotions. Happy that his friend was herself again. A little sad that she wasn't a cute baby he couldn't cuddle. And then partly expecting her to wake up, freak out and push him out of bed. Especially since she was naked.

"Don't drop yourself to Ben's level." Kellyn mentally told himself. "Pretend you see nothing."

Seren sleep-sighed. A signal, the boy learned, that she's wake up soon. Kellyn warily snuck out of bed, making sure the bed shifting didn't wake his partner. He grabbed a spare change of clothes, went into the bathroom and took a quick shower. Seren was awake by the time he came back out.

"What the…?" She blinked. "What am I doing in your bed?"

"No. That one's mine." Kellyn lied, pointing to the other.

Seren shook her head. "I could've sworn….nah. Nevermind. I'm out of it this morning."

Wrapping the blanket around her body, she got up and went to get an outfit.

"This is just…strange." Seren muttered.

"What is?" Kellyn asked.

"The last thing I remember is being in the Union research lab with the other girls. Then something happened. Next thing I know, I'm naked and in bed." Seren replied. "You better not have looked."

"I didn't."

"And weirder yet, it feels like I know what happened yet I don't." Seren continued, unsure. "There's memories but they're fuzzy and…and….tch. I can't recall anything after that time in the lab."

Kellyn waited for her to say more. He was wondering if those memories would resurface at any given second.

"…maybe I partied too hard with the other girls."

Nope. She was clueless. Seren had no idea what happened. Kellyn said something about going to meet with the others before giving Seren time to get changed. He walked through the hallway….

"BEN! WHAT THE FREAKING HELL!"

Huh. Summer was back to normal too. Safe to assume all the girls were their age. Ignoring the yells and shrieks from Ben & Summer's room (followed by violence), Kellyn continued walking down the halls.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The guys met up for breakfast in the break room while the girls hung out somewhere. Most decided on cold pizza but one or two wanted toast instead.

"So none of the girls remember a thing?" Issac asked.

"Nope." Crawford replied.

"Kate said her memories are fuzzy after going into the lab." Keith said.

"Same with Seren." Kellyn added.

"I heard the operator girl say that." Ben mentioned, sore from a red hand mark on his cheek.

"So Wendy, Luana and Summer are completely oblivious about this?" Issac questioned.

"Pretty much." Sven answered. "Wen' thinks we partied too hard last night."

"Luana too." Crawford bit into his pizza slice.

Ben grumbled. "At least your partners didn't smack you upside the head…"

"Summer assumed you perved on her?" Keith guessed.

"What the hell, man? I didn't do anything! I swear!" Ben whined. "I woke up to hear her screaming at me!"

"So…should we say anything?" Kellyn asked. "You know, about this whole incident?"

The guys pondered this in silence. Would it be better to stay quiet? Put the whole incident behind them? It was kinda weird to have the girls temporarily turn into babies. It was fun in so many ways for the guys. But overall, weird. And no doubt the girls would think that. Assuming they believed it.

"Whatever happens, happens." Sven shrugged.

"If the girls remember, then so be it." Keith accepted.

Every other guy nodded in agreement. From the sounds in the hall, seemed like the girls were done breakfast. The guys finished up their meal and went to join them.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Sven and Wendy took their turn to do some quests and patrolling. Boyleland and Haruba were reported to be fine so they stuck with Pueltown. Not a bad day. Sunshine, lots of people happily wandering about, all that stuff. Looks like everything was back to normal again. Nothing really changed.

"Waaaahhhh!"

Sven heard a small cry. His head turned to Altru Park. A little toddler was standing by himself, bawling his eyes out. The cowboy immediately ran over with Wendy behind him.

"Hey buddy." Sven bent down. "What's the matter?"

"M-my….mommy…" The boy sniffled. "Mommy gone."

"Lost your mom, eh? She can't be too far. We'll help you." Sven said.

"Tank you…" The boy quietly responded.

With a smile, Sven lifted the boy up. The boy was placed on the cowboy's strong shoulders.

"You'll be able to see your mom from up there. Tell me what she looks like and we can look around the park for her." Sven told him.

The boy gave a small description as Sven started walking. Sven kept his eyes peeled for a woman who matched the description, all while making conversation with the little boy. Wendy stared at him in surprise.

"…what?" Sven asked, noticing her stare.

"I had no idea you were good with kids." Wendy said.

"Neither did I until recently." Sven said. "Did some babysitting."

"Really?" Wendy asked.

"Yep. Cute baby girl. Lots of energy and a fiery spirit for someone her age." Sven told her. "I had to watch over her for a little while. Kinda strange at first but after playing and spending time with her, I found that I liked kids. Even though I was thrown up on and the girl had her fussy moments, I still found myself having fun."

Wendy smiled. "Nice to see the cowboy has a soft spot for kids."

"Mommy!" The little boy shouted.

There was a woman across the park, frantically looking around. The boy clearly got her looks so that had to be the mom. The ranger started to make their way over.

"_You know, it's strange how your views can be drastically changed overnight."_

"Mommy! Mommy!"

"My baby!"

"_You know what's even stranger though?"_

"Oh thank heavens you're ok! Mommy's so sorry she lost you!"

"It's ok! The rangers helped me!"

"_That in the same amount of time, I developed a crush on my own partner."_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The top rangers weren't the only ones out on patrol. Crawford and Luana had to make sure their area was good. Vientown and Chicole village was as quiet as ever. The ranger base was kept tidy as it should be. So after awhile, the duo decided to go stop by Nabiki Beach for a break.

"WOO!" Luana cheered. "It's such a great day today!"

Crawford chuckled. He almost wished Luana had stayed a baby. It'd be interesting to see her reactions to the ocean or how much sand would get in her hair. Luana danced around for a bit, enjoying the nice weather while Crawford hung back against the rocky cliffs. The dark haired girl was right; it was a great day. Warm weather with a slight breeze coming in. Nabiki Beach looked as nice as ever. Bonus, no people around besides them.

"So Crawford." Luana came hopping over. "I'm not sure what happened last night. Do you know?"

"What do you mean?" Crawford asked, snapping from his thoughts.

"I was hanging with the girls and talking about Issac's weird machine. After that, it's a total blank. Can't remember a thing! It's like my brain skipped right to waking up this morning." Luana told him. "You know what went on last night?"

Tell the truth? Or keep it secret? Which basically translated to; be thought up as weird for supposedly making a joke or lie?

"You were pretty hyper, last night. Full of energy and easily amused." Crawford said.

Technically, not a lie. Luana had kept him busy in her baby form.

"So you think maybe all that energy made my brain conk out?" Luana tipped her head, curiously.

"Could be." Crawford shrugged.

Luana smiled. The afro ranger noticed that her smile hadn't changed at all since she was an infant. Innocent, naïve and sweet. A smile that could melt the heart of any guy who saw it. In this case, Crawford.

"Come on! Let's go find some seashells!" Luana suggested eagerly. "I bet there's some shiny ones in there!"

Crawford chuckled. "Sure thing, Luana."

Right then, all he wanted was to keep his partner smiling. To hear her laugh and enjoy every single moment with her. Crawford didn't understand why he felt this way. Nor would he for a long time after.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Hey Sum'? You still mad?"

Ben knocked on the door to the guest room. No answer. He let himself in anyways. Summer wasn't on the beds but, instead, in the bathroom. She sat on the edge of the bathtub and stared at an item in her hands. Upon closer inspection, Ben could see it was the psyduck bath toy from last night.

"Summer?" Ben cleared his throat.

Summer didn't take her eyes off the toy. "It…it feels like I've seen this thing before."

"You have?"

"Yeah…" Summer said. "I…I can see these images flashing into my head for the briefest of moments. But I can't tell what's going on or anything."

"What kind of images do you see?" Ben sat down next to her.

"This toy, for one. A bubble bath. And…" Summer paused a moment, thinking. "…I remember seeing you."

She sighed. Her fingers traced over the toy's design.

"I see you being…different. You weren't being perverted or acting like an idiot, as usual. Instead you smiled and watched over me. I think I remember hearing you laugh." Summer went on.

Ben was silent. Though it wasn't in his nature, he was patiently listening. He wondered if maybe Summer would fully recover her memories of last night.

"Maybe they're just stupid daydreams." Summer muttered.

"They don't sound stupid to me." Ben said.

Summer gave him a faint smile. "Thanks. It's nice to have someone to count on. Even if they're a jerk sometimes."

Ben grinned. He was tempted to make a comment or maybe cop a feel but….he didn't. Something in him made him stay as he was. Actually, this whole experience seemed to make him feel different. Before, Ben would've gone after pretty girls for some 'fun' but, until then, would heckle his partner. Now? Ben didn't want other girls. He didn't even feel like messing with Summer.

"Is something wrong with me?" Ben thought. "Am I sick?"

No, everything else felt ok. Not a fever or purple tongue on him. Just a confused head. It was telling him all sorts of things.

"You want to grab lunch?" Summer asked, setting the toy down.

"Sure." Ben replied. "Just don't put it in your hair."

"What?" Summer gave him a look.

"Nothing! Just kidding!" Ben laughed nervously.

Summer rolled her eyes but Ben noticed a grin. It felt good to make her smile; to help Summer cheer up. Whoa, when did his brain switch to the 'Summer Channel'? Why did it focus on his partner suddenly? And why the hell was he feeling so damn nervous?

"Ben? You there?"

A hand waved in front of his face. Ben shook his head. Back to reality.

"Race ya down the halls!"

"You're on, slowpoke! And when I win, you'll have to strip for me."

"PERVERT!"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Since it was a nice day, Seren decided to go get some fresh air. Naturally, Kellyn tagged along. They strolled around the area around the Union. Seren was enjoying Dream River (the river that led north to Hia Valley) particularly. She seemed to like the peace and quiet. Soft ripples of water cascading south, a nice breeze, tall grass with little flowers within and trees a vivid green. It was a perfect scene.

"Gotta take a pic of this!" Seren whipped out her camera. "It's so gorgeous here!"

Kellyn chuckled. Same ol' Seren. The raven haired girl took several shots at different angles, capturing the serenity of nature. And then she flipped through the camera to see how she did. Kellyn looked over her shoulder at the screen. Great pics. It was as flawless as ever.

"Hey wait a sec." Seren said.

The screen showed more pics. When Seren played with the camera as a baby, her little fingers had pressed the button several times. There were a couple of very blurry images. One or two with a hand in front of it. Hard to make out anything in the pictures.

"When the hell did I take these?" Seren muttered.

"Maybe your hands slipped?"

"That or someone messed with my camera." Seren frowned. "Damn it, if Keith's screwed around with my camera again, I'll drop-kick his stupid head to the moon."

And Kellyn certainly didn't doubt that. Seren sighed and put the camera in her pocket.

WHOOOOSSSSHHHH!

Out of nowhere, a huge gust of wind blasted into the area.

"MY FACE!" Kellyn shielded his head.

"EEP!" Seren shrieked.

The mere power of the wind was enough to make Seren stumble and trip. She slipped backwards, about to fall into the river. Kellyn took action. He grabbed her wrist and pulled the girl into his arms. However, his strength was too much. Now Seren crashed right into him, causing Kellyn to fall backwards.

BAM!

"Ack!"

Kellyn crashed into the ground with Seren on top of his chest. Didn't hurt the boy too much. A hard knock but he felt fine.

"Man…" Seren moaned. "Sorry about that."

"Nah. Not your fault I'm as strong as my face is handsome." Kellyn kidded.

That earned him an eyeroll and slight grin. Seren placed her hands on his chest, ready to launch herself back to her feet. Instead, though, she looked into his eyes and froze. Kellyn remembered this. He did something like this with Seren yesterday. Little Seren on hischest while Kellyn watched her. Those eyes of hers hadn't changed at all. Still sparkled with wonder as they looked down at Kellyn.

"K-Kellyn…?" Seren whispered.

She looked unsure what was going on. As though she almost recovered those memories. They were faint but maybe they'd start to become clear. Kellyn wanted her to remember. And he would help.

His hands slid over hers as a soft smile decorated his face. Seren's cheeks were pink at this action. By now she'd fight him off and storm off in a huff. This time, she didn't. Instead, her face grew closer and her gaze on Kellyn never left. Kellyn leaned forward as well. The two pairs of eyes slowly closed as their lips made contact.

Kellyn conveyed every ounce of emotion he had into Seren. He wanted her to know exactly how he felt and how serious he was. And as she accepted the feelings, her own started coursing into Kellyn. They were almost unified, in a way. Enough that Kellyn could feel when Seren's memories had returned to her.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Keith ran through the Union. Hey, no one to yell at him for it. And he didn't have to worry about crashing into others. Take that, Mr. Kincaid! Keith snickered at the thought of how enraged the ex-teacher would react. The redhead firmly gripped the paper bag and made his way back to the dorms. He tried to remember if Kate liked mustard on her sandwich. Hopefully she did. Otherwise, Keith would be fine with taking the other one as his lunch. This would be a nice surprise for them. A quiet lunch to themselves. Well…before the others showed up and partied like crazy again.

"Hey Kate!" Keith knocked on the door. "I'm back!"

The ranger entered his dorm room. Kate sat on the bed, looking at something. Keith couldn't see the item in her hands. He set the lunch on their bedside table. A quick glance over his partners shoulder to see what she stared at. Keith froze.

It was the Pikachu doll.

"K-Kate?"

Kate turned around, her eyes meeting Keith's. Keith gulped but didn't dare say a word. Kate studied his face extensively, as if searching for answers. Her eyes looked like they realized some sort of truth. Was it possible? Did she…?

"Keith…" Kate whispered. "I…I remember."

She did. Kate regained her memory of what happened. The girl stood up, hugging the Pikachu doll. Her eyes never left Keith though they seemed to change. They were big, full of emotion. There was some desperation in the blue shade; a hope for something. This was unlike the brave girl she normally was. Whatever Kate was thinking had to be serious.

"Did you mean what you said?" Kate asked.

"Huh?" Keith blinked.

"Last night. Y-you said…" Kate's face was red. "You said I was fun to be with and I made you smile. That you _liked_ me."

Keith was breathless. Kate remembered what he said. She had been listening to his confession. Which meant she knew his secret. Keith wasn't sure how to answer or if he should say anything at all. Would she reject him? Could she hate him for this? Kate watched him for a long time, waiting for an answer.

The redhead sighed, looking away. "…yes. I like you, Kate. I really like you. A lot."

Kate clutched the Pikachu doll even tighter. Her eyes were wide and mouth opened in surprise.

"I meant everything I said last night." Keith continued. "You're an amazing girl. And I had feelings for you for a long time. Heck, probably since you first came into my life. No one else makes me feel so alive and happy. All I want is to be with you. To…to protect and care about you."

Silence. Keith waited for a reaction. Slap across the face? Angry words and storming out of the room? Rejection? What on earth was the girl thinking? And why wasn't she doing anything? Keith took a chance and glanced back at his partners.

Tears were pouring from Kate's eyes. They were like waterfalls streaming down her face. Kate was crying. Keith made the poor girl cry! Damn it, he screwed up! There goes their friendship!

"Kate, I'm sorry!" Keith quickly apologized. "I-I didn't…!"

Before any more words came out, Kate leapt forward and buried her head into his chest. Keith's shirt was quickly getting wet. But he didn't care about that. The redhead was confused to what was going on. What the hell did he do to her? Did he make her mind snap?

"I didn't think you cared about me…" came a muffled voice.

"What?" Keith said.

"I thought that you only thought of me as a partner. A good friend at best. I didn't think you'd ever like me." Kate sniffled. "But I've liked you for so long, Keith. I had a huge crush on you since ranger school and I only found out days ago that…that it was more. That I really like you as much more than a best friend."

"You _like_ me?" Keith gasped.

Kate nodded. "I can't be without you…."

Keith felt his heart race from within him. Pure joy flooded throughout his entire being, mixed with a strong sense of care and affection. He smiled, wrapping his arm around the crying girl. Keith stroked her head and kissed her forehead.

"I can't be without you either, Kate." Keith murmured. "You are my raison d'etre."

"What does that mean?" Kate asked, looking up at him.

"Actually, I have no idea." Keith sweatdropped. "I just heard you say it to people you care about. Maybe it's something about raisins?"

Kate laughed. Such a sweet sound to hear. Keith was able to relax again. But he wasn't ready to let Kate go just yet. For a few minutes, they stayed in the warm embrace. Then, with a kiss to his sweetheart, Keith grabbed lunch and took Kate outside for a picnic.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Night fell upon the Union once more. Everyone seemed to have had a good day. And somehow, the news about Kate and Keith being together went public. Naturally, there was surprise and a lot of teasing. Odd how Seren and Kellyn kept quiet. A little suspicious.

Issac finished up his time in the lab. Not fixing the machine but destroying it. No way he'd take a chance on it again. It was lucky enough everyone had returned back to their right age on their own. The genius was told that Kate remembered her time as a baby. Seren too. Summer seemed to be close to but couldn't recover her memoires. Meanwhile, Wendy and Luana were completely unaware anything was amiss. But what about Rhythmi?

"Hmmm…" Issac set the tools aside. "I haven't seen her all day. Where is she?"

During that morning, Rhythmi had worked with Wendy and Sven for their patrol. Then spent some time with Summer. And when evening came, she was with the girls again. Now? Who knows? Issac knew she wasn't in bed. Rhythmi always went to Issac before she did. Usually to warn him not to stay up late working. Though sometimes it was just a friendly 'goodnight'.

So the genius went to look for her. Rhythmi wasn't with the girls. Nor was she in her room. Issac checked the third floor but soon heard a beautiful sound coming from the rooftop. He climbed up the stairs and looked to see where the source was.

"_All lives meet, in these small hours, these little wonders, these twists and turns of fate."_

Rhythmi. She sat under the Tree of Harmony with moonlight reflecting off her radiant face. It was her voice that was singing. What a gorgeous voice she had.

"_Time falls away but these small hours, these small hours….still remain…."_

Wait a moment. That song…it was familiar. Yes! It was the song Issac sang to her last night! The lullaby he hushed her crying with! Did Rhythmi know it from him? Does that mean she remembered?

"_All of my regret will wash away somehow. But I cannot forget, the way I feel right now."_

Issac took a few slow steps forward. Rhythmi heard and stopped singing, looking at the genius.

"Hi Issac." Rhythmi greeted.

"Evening Rhythmi." Issac sat beside her. "You were singing, weren't you?"

Rhythmi nodded. "Yes but I was never really good…"

"No, no! You were lovely!" Issac quickly said to her. "I-I love the way you sing!"

"Thank you…" Rhythmi blushed.

"So, um, what was that song you were singing?" Issac awkwardly asked.

"I'm not too sure myself. Actually, all I really remember was hearing a soothing voice sing it to me. It was so sweet." Rhythmi quietly answered.

Issac watched her. She really liked that song. And she seemed close to finding that memory she lost. Issac wanted to help. Although he it was embarrassing to do this, he knew exactly what to do.

"_Let it slide."_ Issac began to sing. _"Let your troubles fall behind you. Let it shine. Till you feel it all around you."_

Rhythmi stared at him in surprise. She knew Issac never singed. Naturally this was hard to believe. But as he went on, Rhythmi relaxed, smiled and listened intently.

"_And I don't mind; If it's me you need to turn to, we'll get by. It's the heart that really matters in the end."_

At that point, Rhythmi started to sing along with him.

"_All lives meet, in these small hours, these little wonders, these twists and turns of fate. Time falls away but these small hours, these small hours….still remain. All of my regret will wash away somehow. But I cannot forget, the way I feel right now."_

Rhythmi looked deep into Issac's eyes once the song finished. Her own eyes had a flicker of light in them, as if something in her brain went on.

"Issac…" Rhythmi whispered. "You were the one who sang that to me."

Issac was quiet.

"I think I remember…" Rhythmi rubbed her temples. "I…I felt so scared and lonely. The darkness terrified me. But you were there. You took me into your arms and sang to me. It was your voice that calmed me down, made me feel safe. I-I never felt so warm and happy before."

The operator's eyes grew moist. Issac wasn't sure what to make of this. Rhythmi was about to cry and yet she smiled. He was about to ask if she was alright when she leaned in, pressing her lips to his forehead. Issac froze on spot at this sudden action. Stunned, even as Rhythmi drew back with pink cheeks.

"I, um, also remember you kissed me. Right there." Rhythmi mumbled, embarrassed. "I wanted t-to say thank you…"

Issac looked at Rhythmi with a gentle expression. This was the moment. To take a chance. Though he would never do this normally, Issac found himself desperately wanting to do this. He quickly leaned in and kissed the girl's lips. Rhythmi shivered at first. But she melted right after the shock wore off. Issac's arms moved on their own, taking his girl into an embrace. Rhythmi wrapped her own arms around the scientists neck. Passion flowed through their lips. It's taste was so sweet and creamy with a mindnumbing effect. Like a drug. But one that you wouldn't, or couldn't, quit.

They drew apart. Issac held Rhythmi in his arms. There were happy, love-filled expressions written on their faces.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Ah, love. There were couples who came together, falling in love with each other and starting a new chapter in their lives. Others got the spark of romance started, which will keep growing within them. Whether they have the bravery to admit it to their other? Remains to be seen._

_My work here is done. _

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Yikes! That took me a LONG time to write! And plus computer glitches. **

**Chia: Want me to fix it? *holds a sword***

**Nope! I'll uh…call a mechanic. Like Elaine. Heh.**

**Chia: *pouts***

**Anyways, the song in this is 'Little Wonders' by Rob Thomas (I do not own the song). REALLY good song. Very much recommend it!**

**Chia: Next update?**

**It'll be soon! I can promise you that!**

**Chia: Monsters Inc next time?**

***smirks* Who's to say I won't post something else first and leave my readers hanging for awhile?**

**Chia: Sigh. You never learn do you?**


	10. Personality Switch

**Chia: ….no Monsters Inc?**

**I'M GETTING TO IT! Just having trouble writing out the next few scenes and such. Patience.**

**Chia: Updates are slow.**

**Busy week and another one coming up. Hopefully the fans can wait a little longer during this era of slow updates. I'm doing my best to work on a story, a co-authoring story, this crossover stuff as well as other projects.**

**Chia: Read, review AND ENJOY!**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Another non-technical crossover, actually. It was based on yet another conversation I had with hitachiitwinsfan989. So I dedicate this chapter specifically for her. Also I'm borrowing her OC Seren again because she's awesome, I want to write about her and yes, Kellyn's coming back again.

Thanks and enjoy the story!

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"KEITH YOU FREAKING IDIOT!"

"Nya! Can't catch me!"

…_.I'm not even going to attempt to say that Almia's quiet or peaceful. You all know that it would be normally. But rangers, operators and mechanics are…er…full of personality. We have our main heroes; Kate and Keith. Working alongside them at the Union are top rangers Wendy and Sven. They were all friends with operator Rhythmi and researcher Issac. When Kate and Keith transferred from their old base, Vientown needed two rangers to keep up with Almia's action. Thus Kellyn and Seren were brought from Fiore. Add in two more rangers already stationed in Vientown; Luana and Crawford. That is our crew in Almia. _

_Now we join the girls who decided to have a 'girls day' to themselves. Though what they may say could be more effective than they thought…_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Has anyone noticed the guys are being really annoying lately?"

All five girls were sitting outside of a café in Pueltown. They decided to get snacks and drinks while enjoying the nice day.

"Oh my gosh, it's not just me?" Luana gasped.

"And here I thought I was imagining things." Seren sighed, sipping her beverage.

"Maybe there's a full moon out or something." Wendy suggested. "Seriously, what the hell is with them?"

"_All_ the guys are annoying? How?" Rhythmi asked, curious.

"You know energetic Keith can be. Recently, he's been even more hyper." Kate replied. "And that hyper energy brings out all the stupid qualities in him. Impatient, rash, over-competitive…"

"Like back in ranger school?" Rhythmi assumed.

"Exactly." Kate nodded.

"Meanwhile Kellyn's little quirk spiraled into obsession." Seren muttered. "He's so freaked out about his looks. If there's one thing wrong with his, and I quote, 'gloriously handsome face', Kellyn will rampage. Won't leave the bathroom till the problems fixed. He spends more time in there than I do."

Luana giggled. "Sounds like Crawford whenever he needs more fluff in his afro."

"What about you and him?" Seren asked her. "What's up with you two?"

"Well…" Luana hesitated. "It's the jokes. Don't get me wrong! I like guys who can make me laugh! But those jokes get to be too much sometimes. A little cheesy, used too often and such."

"One of _those_ comedians." Wendy commented.

"I think Crawford's going through some sort of 'writers block' right now. Only with humor." Rhythmi said.

"Let's hope it doesn't last. I can't hear another repeat again!" Luana groaned, rubbing her temples.

"Wendy? Care to tell us what's wrong with Sven?" Kate spoke up.

Wendy leaned back in her chair. "He's been way too distracted lately."

"Sven? Distracted?" Rhythmi blinked.

"He doesn't seem like the type." Seren said.

"One would think so." Wendy sighed. "But he gets way too distracted. With girls."

"Ah so that's it."

"That explains it."

"Distracted? Pfft. Naturally Sven would be distracted _that_ way."

"He's such a ladies man."

"He is!" Wendy said. "And I'm not bothered by it most of the time. But now he's excessively chasing after girls left and right. Going on dates, hitting on them, whatever. This is _all_ the time. Even during quests! It would be nice to have a partner who sticks with me when we're on patrol!"

"Did you pull his ear?" Luana asked.

"Feels like every five minutes I have to drag that guy away from anything wearing a skirt." Wendy rolled her eyes. "After awhile, I give up and go off by myself."

"Seriously? Are we all having issues with our partners?" Kate bit into her cookie.

"Not Rhythmi. At least she has a guy who isn't a pain half the time." Seren said.

The blond girl stayed quiet. She sipped her smoothie, looking away from the others. All of the girls took notice to this almost immediately.

"Rhyth? Is everything alright with you and Issac?" Kate questioned.

Rhythmi nodded.

"He isn't irritating you, he is?" Seren asked.

"No…" Rhythmi mumbled.

"Come on. Talk to us." Wendy said.

"Yeah! We're your friends! You can tell us if something's wrong!" Luana chimed in.

Rhythmi hesitated. She glanced at everyone. Then she set her drink down and reclined into the chair.

"It's just that….well…" Rhythmi stammered. "I don't think Issac likes me anymore."

"What!" The girls exclaimed.

"Oh come on! You two were so close in ranger school! Partnered up for assignments, talked geek stuff over lunch, always having fun together…" Kate said.

"We used to be! Now I'm not so sure." Rhythmi shook her head.

"Is Issac being mean?" Wendy asked.

"That'd be pretty unusual for him. Issac's not the kind of guy." Seren noted.

"He isn't being mean to me." Rhythmi answered. "But Issac seems to be ignoring me. First, we stopped hanging out at lunch. I understood because the Union wants him working extra hard these next few weeks for projects."

"We are a little busy lately." Kate recalled.

"Then we stopped hanging out during our free time. And when we pass by in the hall, I'm lucky to get a simple 'hi' from him." Rhythmi continued. "A few times, I tried going to the lab and striking a conversation there while he works. No response at all. It feels tense and cold between us. I think Issac doesn't want to be friends with me anymore."

Each of the girls became silent. They reflected off of what each one of them said. Sips from their drink and nibbles from the sugary snacks. Minutes passed quietly.

"D…do you think we should trade partners?" Luana asked, nervously.

Another moment of silence.

"I think I'm agreeing with you on that." Seren replied.

"Yeah. Girls pair up with girls while the guys are left to their own devices." Wendy said.

"Wait! Let's not be too irrational on this!" Rhythmi stopped them.

"Rhythmi's right." Kate agreed. "Maybe this is just a phase or something."

"Give the guys some time. If they're still being jerkaholics…" Rhythmi started to say.

"Jerkaholics?"

"Love that word!"

"Yeah." Rhythmi sweatdropped. "If the guys are still acting the way they do, then we can put in requests to switch partners."

"What about you?" Luana asked.

"I guess I'll just have to accept Issac doesn't want to be friends anymore." Rhythmi shrugged.

The girls were unanimous with the decision. And with that, the conversation turned to something else more cheerful.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

What the girls didn't know was that they were being watched. There was a camera hiding in the nearby bushes, focused on their table and listening to the discussion. Clever camera design made it blend in and, with a controller, could hover in the air. The controller was in the Vientown base, where the guys were having their own guy day. But boys are known to be curious about girls and their mysterious ways. That curiosity made them want to test Issac's new camera machine to spy on their partners. And they had listened to that entire conversation.

"I can't believe they're talking about us like that!" Keith fumed.

"Didn't think they were so ticked at us." Sven folded his arms.

"My jokes are cheesy?" Crawford blinked, puzzled.

"Rhythmi thinks I don't like her?" Issac whispered in shock.

"Hey my looks are important!" Kellyn snapped. "You'd think a real girl would understand that!"

Most of the guys were furious. But after they watched the screen quietly, their expressions started to change. They all looked very hurt by what was said. And it was starting to make them think.

"I guess we haven't really been paying attention to our partners." Crawford said.

"We did hurt their feelings." Sven pointed out.

"Maybe I've been obsessing a little more than usual on my looks…" Kellyn admitted.

"And I haven't really taken the time to talk to my own best friend." Issac confessed.

"Ok so we screwed up." Keith sighed.

"Bad enough for the girls to think about switching partners." Kellyn said. "We can't let that happen!"

"Yeah! I like having Luana as a partner!" Crawford agreed.

"Wendy's the only partner I want." Sven tipped his hat.

"And Kate's perfect competition! I'm not letting that go without a fight!" Keith shook his head. "We're not going to let our partners split us up."

"You have a plan?" Issac asked.

"Naturally." Keith smirked.

"Dare we ask what sort of catastrophic idea you've got in mind?" Kellyn sweatdropped.

"The girls are mad because of our personalities and how we're acting, right? Well what if we act different?"

Cue the stares and lost expressions.

"We'll act completely different than how we usually do. Whether it's a small change or a complete 180." Keith explained. "For a short time, we'll become different people. Just long enough so the girls don't think about switching up partners. Once they're cool, we can ease back into our old selves again."

"Interesting idea." Issac commented. "But what if the girls don't like this new personality?"

"Yeah. They might get freaked out." Sven pointed out.

"That's the beauty part." Keith grinned. "If they do get freaked out, use that as an opportunity. Show them that it isn't ok to talk about us like that behind our backs. They'll never complain about us again!"

Crawford smiled. "I like this idea. Might just work."

"I'm with you on this." Sven said.

"Could be fun." Kellyn said.

"Why not? I like a good experiment." Issac joined in.

"Alright so it's settled. Starting first thing tomorrow morning, we'll each become different people. Keep in contact with each other for results and deciding how long we want this to go on." Keith instructed. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Another day came and went. The girls had a successful day out; lots of fun times after that serious discussion. Same with the guys. Though a little bit of time did get devoted to their personality switches. Stuff like brainstorming how to act or practicing their new personalities. The girls suspected nothing when everyone met up again. All of the guys tried to contain their excitement as they acted the same they always did for the rest of that day. When the sun came up the next morning, each guy would become completely different._

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Hey. Hey Kate? Wake up."

"Mmmnnggg."

Kate groaned a little bit. Something, or rather someone, shook her shoulders. The brunette forced her eyes open. Light from the windows made it hard for her to see at first. But a silhouette that looked over her was starting to slowly become clear.

"Keith?"

"Morning." Keith greeted.

"You're up early?" Kate yawned.

"I disabled the alarm so you didn't have a rude awakening. Thought that this might be better." Keith said.

"Wow that's…nice." Kate sat up, stretching her arms. "How long do we have till morning briefing?"

"About forty minutes. Enough time for you to get ready. I'll go grab us some breakfast in the meantime." Keith told her. "Anything you want in particular?"

"Uh…I'll be fine with toast." Kate replied, starting to get out of bed.

"Orange juice or milk?" Keith asked.

"Orange juice, I guess." Kate shrugged.

"Cool." Keith smiled. "I'll be right back."

With that, the redhead left. Kate was left confused. Hold on a sec. Keith was up early without the help of an alarm clock? And in a good mood? He woke up Kate nicely rather than her having to shake up awake. Plus Keith gave Kate twice as long to get ready. He himself was ready to go and just went out to get breakfast for the both of them, something Keith never did.

"Weird." Kate muttered. "No hyper ball of energy? No sarcasm or smirks? Not even a challenge? What's gotten into him?"

Eh. The day is still young. Keith would probably snap and be himself again soon enough. Don't let your guard down yet. Kate quickly put on her ranger outfit, put her hair into its usual pigtails and started brushing her teeth. As shoes were being tied on, Keith came back into the room.

"Toast and orange juice for my partner." Keith set Kate's plate down on her nightstand.

"Thanks Keith." Kate replied.

"Any time." Keith sat down on his bed, grabbing his milk bottle. "So what's new with you?"

Wait, what?

"Um, what did you say?" Kate asked, a little surprised.

"I asked if anything was new." Keith responded as he took a sip of milk.

"You never ask me that." Kate said.

"I don't? Really?" Keith blinked.

Kate shook her head. Normally the redhead would be firing off his mouth at a hundred miles an hour. He'd talk about this or share his opinion on that. Maybe try to tick her off or spark competition.

"First time for everything." Keith shrugged. "Come on, tell me. What's going on?"

The pigtailed girl was left speechless at this. Keith looked to be genuinely interested in what Kate had to say. No bursts of energy or snide comments. Kate decided to test him further.

"My mother's pregnant again. I'll be having a new sibling soon." She told him.

"Really? Congrats! Boy or girl?" Keith asked.

"Still too early to tell." Kate replied. "But I think they want a boy since they already have me and my little sister."

"You have a little sister? Never told me about her." Keith said.

Kate went on through the conversation about her sister and the family. Keith ate breakfast while listening. It didn't look like he spaced out or tuned anything from his hears. No, Keith was actually listening to Kate. He may have asked a question or said something on occasion but he listened to her. Not a tiny bit of impatience or an attempt to change topics. For the first time ever, Keith was being calm.

"Shoot!" Kate glanced at the clock. "We've got briefing in two minutes!"

"We'll clean up the plates later. Let's get going." Keith said, setting everything down on the nightstand.

"Gah. Sorry I kept us. Talked too much." Kate apologized.

"Nah it was pretty interesting."

"Interesting?"

…who was this guy and what did he do with the real Keith?

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Today's patrol was supposed to be in the Chroma Valley. Wendy didn't envy Keith or Kate, who had to scope out Hia Valley. Supposed to be pretty darn cold. But then again, who knew what Chroma Valley had going on? One time Wendy almost got caught in an avalanche. Would've been crushed if Sven didn't save her.

"Though with his girl obsessed attitude…" Wendy thought. "I'll have to look out for myself now."

"Hey Wendy!"

Wendy exited the front doors of the Union. Sven stood a few feet away with two staraptors.

"You captured those already?" Wendy asked, surprised by this.

"Yep. One for you, one for me." Sven replied. "Your staraptor sprained its wing the other day so I thought we better give it more rest."

He knew about Feather's sprained wing? Wendy hadn't mentioned it at all. Sven had been to wrapped up to even notice anything amiss. So how did he…?

"Thanks." Wendy said.

Sven grinned. "Of course, partner."

Both rangers got onto their staraptors and started taking off to the valley. Sven had been acting unusual since they woke up. He let her use the bathroom first, got breakfast for them both and acted really…nice. The cowboy ranger talked to Wendy even more the usual, which hadn't happened since before the girl chasing. There was also that smile. Made Wendy cautious but it relaxed her at the same time.

Reaching the Chroma Valley took little time. Sven quickly hopped off his staraptor and….helped Wendy? Wendy was startled to see that Sven was helping her get off. He took her hand, making sure she didn't trip or fall. Sven sent the staraptors away as Wendy was left baffled.

"So it looks like our first quest is over on the rocks up there." Sven pointed to the high mountain top. "Better get going!"

Wendy nodded, following. Sven was leading the way with confidence and cheerfulness. He even began talking to her. Wow. This was…weird. Sven was acting out of character. What's with him all of a sudden?

"Hiya rangers!"

Nearby, playing with a pikachu, was a girl. A blonde girl with a black tank top, jean shorts and skinny build. Could pass off as a model. Wendy suppressed a sigh, knowing that in a minute, she'd be abandoned for this bimbo.

"Morning." Sven greeted casually.

"Careful! I heard someone say there's been some really weak rocks on the pathway! Could crash down and hit your heads!" The girl warned.

"We'll keep that in mind, thank you." Sven said. "Let's get going, Wendy."

Whoa, whoa, whoa. What was _that_? No ogling? No flirting, asking for phone numbers or offers on a date? Not even a glance back?

"Hey Sven? You seem off." Wendy noticed. "Are you alright?"

"Feeling great!" Sven answered, taking a deep breath of fresh air. "Why do you ask?"

Wendy shrugged. "No reason."

They made it to the base of the mountain. Sven helped Wendy climb up to the pathway before leading the pair once more. Wendy was quiet. She tried to figure out what the hell was wrong with her partner. He didn't appear sick. No fever or any indication. And if Sven messed with her, Wendy would know. Always had those 'tells' that gave it away.

Sven was acting like a gentleman. Very unusual for him. Even more so since he didn't look at other girls. Another hiker, an orange haired girl, smiled at him but Sven ignored her completely. What was going on here? Some weird parallel dimension? Brain damage? New medication of some sort? This was getting way too freaky…

Crumble…

Huh?

BOOM!

The ground below Wendy suddenly caved in without warning. Rocks started falling to the ground. And Wendy shrieked as she fell victim to gravity.

"WENDY!"

A hand flew out and grabbed her wrist. One powerful tug sent Wendy flying forward, crashing into the chest of her partner. Sven wrapped his arms around Wendy and pinned her to the rock walls as minor tremor shook the entire cliff. Rocks were starting to fall all over the place but the cowboy shielded her from any stray debris that could hit.

It was a few minutes before the quaking subsided. Sven carefully loosened his grip on Wendy, letting her go. The path way behind the two had collapsed completely. Most of the mountain had been ravaged. Luckily, the pokemon weren't hurt (merely startled) and no one had been directly under the rockslides. That hiker girl from earlier managed to escape without a scratch.

"That was close." Sven sighed. "Wendy? Are you alright?"

"I-I think so." Wendy responded, unsure.

Sven looked her over. No scratches, bruises or injuries. Looks like she was fine. The cowboy seemed relieved at this.

"Good. We'll head up since the path appears stable. Then we can handle the quest, find a way back down and get people to stay away from the valley temporarily. I think all the rocks and soil are too loose from the recent rainstorm." Sven told her.

"Ok. Sounds good." Wendy nodded.

"Watch your step." Sven held onto her hand. "The area around this part looks tricky."

Sven guided Wendy through the rocks and crumbled paths. But after they got through that, he still didn't let go of her hand. Strange thing was, Wendy liked that. It comforted her. Almost as much as when Sven protected her from the chaos earlier. Maybe Sven was acting super weird….

"But that might not be such a bad thing." Wendy thought.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Ok this is really weird."

Luana's thoughts raced a mile a minute. That one thought reigned above them all. She had been walking with Crawford on patrol all morning and he hasn't been himself. No jokes, puns, one-liners, slapstick…no comedy whatsoever. Actually, he had been quiet. Too quiet. He'd respond to questions or suggest the next quest. Even at breakfast, Luana tried to joke with him about milk and miltanks but he didn't even grin.

"Maybe he's mad at me. I must've done something to make him angry at me." Luana pondered. "Otherwise, why else would he act this way? Crawford hasn't gone a whole day without being funny. It's not like him. Even if he was upset, he'd crack a joke or two."

Pause. She stopped to rub her head as her skin trembled. Another round of nausea. All this heavy thinking made Luana upset and now her body was feeling the effects.

"Do I have a fever?" Luana wondered. "Aw man! I think way too much. Now my brains overheated!"

Her stomach wasn't feeling good. If it wasn't trying to make Luana throw up, then it started cramping up. Drove the poor girl crazy. But she looked at Crawford, who walked ahead of her. Focused expression that looked over the quests on the styler. Luana knew she couldn't afford to slip up. Crawford was probably furious at her for something and things could get worse if Luana did one more thing wrong. She had to keep quiet. Pretend that nothing was off. As if she was her ol' cheerful self.

"So where's our next quest?" Luana chipperly asked.

"Nabiki beach. We have to check the entrance to Marine Cave since its high tide." Crawford answered in a cold tone.

Still serious. Luana fought down another round of stomach pains as the fever started making her dizzy.

"Great! Let's go!" Luana sang.

No reply. Crawford instead kept walking. Luana, feeling down, followed right behind. If only she could ask what was making him so mad. Why did he seem upset? What bothered him? But that could make things worse. And Luana would look like a total jerk for not knowing. Then again, she'd be a jerk for not asking what's wrong. What kind of friend would she be?

Luana mentally moaned. This was way too hard! Like a stupid brain teaser! Too much to think about when her body was acting up. Walking was challenging; footsteps stumbled clumsily. Face felt like a stove. Had to be cherri berry red at this point.

They reached the beach soon enough. Crawford went on ahead to scope out the cave. Luana hung by the stairwell, leaning against the wall weakly. Her sight was affected by the dizziness now. Which way was left? And which was up? Soooo confusing!

Crawford looked back but did a double take. His eyes changed. Hard to see into what emotion but they certainly changed from the seriousness before.

"Luana? Are you alright?" Crawford asked.

"I…I think so…" Luana shivered, suddenly getting chills.

The stomach felt as though it had been punched. And that punch echoed throughout her body. Something forced itself through Luana's throat and spilled out the mouth. Luana was throwing up uncontrollably. The stomach tried to empty out all that it ate and then some. It was nearly impossible to breathe.

"Luana!"

Though the stomach was cleaned out, the girl felt worse than before. A foul stench reached Luana's nose. Her eyes squinted open to see the putrid mess of throw-up and blood on the once golden sand. Luana trembled, terrified. Her legs gave way. The poor girl fell backwards, growing very faint.

"LUANA!"

Footsteps. Luana vaguely felt another presence before it scooped her up into warm arms. Crawford hovered over her. Panic was written across his face. It was the last thing Luana saw before the fever swept across her unconsciousness, dragging her down into the dark.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Good morning Rhythmi. You look lovely today."

Rhythmi jumped a little in her operators chair. She wheeled the chair around to face the speaker.

"I-Issac?"

Indeed it was him. The blond genius was smiling, in a good mood. And he was talking to Rhythmi. For the first time in a long time, Issac was paying attention to her.

"How are you doing today? Work going alright?" Issac asked.

"A little slow but otherwise fine." Rhythmi replied. "H-how's the research coming?"

Issac shrugged. "I could use some time away from the lab. Can't be cooped up inside all day long without turning into a mad scientist. So I packed a lunch and secured the rest of the day off. Managed to get you the rest of the day off too so you can join me."

"M-me?" Rhythmi squeaked.

"Sure. I was thinking a nice picnic in Altru Park would be nice. Would you like to come with me?" Issac offered.

Rhythmi blushed. Linda squealed from her seat, looking excited but a little jealous. Other operators seemed to notice this and had similar reactions.

"Uh…I-I would love to!" Rhythmi stammered.

Issac took Rhythmi's hand, helping her up. He held onto that hand and carried a basket in his other hand. The genius started to guide the suddenly shy operator through the Union as they went on their way to Altru Park. He struck up a conversation with Rhythmi but oddly…nothing about science. Issac discussed topics that weren't anything about math, inventions or such.

Suddenly paying attention to her? No studying in the lab all day? Being away from said lab and inventions? Normal talks? Even going _outside_? This was completely different than Issac's usual behavior. Plus Issac was normally shy and awkward. When he asked Rhythmi for lunch, there was a smooth confidence in that tone. And it made Rhythmis knees feel like jelly.

What a beautiful day. The sun was shining, perfect weather to be outside and Altru Park was peaceful. Some kids over by the play set or teens hanging by the concert stage. A few adults strolled by. Great place to be. Issac chose a corner spot in the park, by the trees and flowers. Enough space to sit down and relax.

Issac pulled out drinks for them both. Rhythmi was stunned to see that Issac packed her favorite; pink lemonade. Even more to see her favorite sandwich as well. Wow did he really know her!

"Did I do well?" Issac asked.

"This is amazing!" Rhythmi said as she bit into her sandwich. "I didn't think you knew what I liked!"

"Of course I do. I know a lot of things about you." Issac said, sipping some iced tea.

"Really?"

"Sure." Issac smiled. "You love Go-Rock band but when you listen to nature CDs when you want to relax. Your favorite color is green though pink is a close second. I know you were born and raised in the Sevii Islands. You became an operator because of your ranger brother, Jack. The pokemon you're most scared of is ariados but the pokemon you adore is skitty. Also you are the most intelligent woman in the Union whose operator skills are top notch and you've got a heart bigger than Almia."

Rhythmi stared at him in disbelief.

"Shall I go on?" Issac asked.

"H-how do you…?" Rhythmi tried to question.

"I'm your best friend, Rhythmi. I want to know everything about you. And I want to be there for you when you need it." Issac told her.

"Issac…" Rhythmi whispered, touched.

"Well, well, well. Lookie what we've got here."

Lunch was interrupted as three goons suddenly came over. They looked like football players minus the gear. Beefy, overweight, punks with bad haircuts and ugly faces. Made Rhythmi shiver just looking at them.

"Two little kiddies and a picky-nik basket." The leader sneered.

"We gots our lunch!" One of the goons commented.

Without warning, a big hand swiped the basket. The basket was crushed but the items were left unharmed. At least until the group started messily chowing down on them. Damn. A nice picnic Issac planned and it was ruined. Poor guy was just trying to be sweet. Now? Stupid bullies had to ruin everything. Felt like daycare playground all over again.

"Hey lookit da pretty girl!" Another goon remarked.

The boys laughed. It made Rhythmi freeze. Her insides squeezed as she grew nervous.

"We'll show her a fun time." The leader sneered.

"Yeah! Yeah!" The 'sidekicks' chanted.

The groups leader reached for Rhythmis arm and tried to yank her up.

BAM!

Someone punched the leader's arm, causing Rhythmi to be dropped. That same someone stepped in front of Rhythmi in a protective stance.

"Issac!" Rhythmi exclaimed.

His face was focused, glaring at the jerks with fierce intensity. This wasn't like the genius at all! Issac usually avoided arguments and stayed away from violence. He'd never be the type to confront someone!

"Leave her alone." Issac ordered.

"Or what? You gonna hurt us?" The leader mocked.

Issac frowned, not moving from position. He was determined.

"We show you not to mess with us!" The leader snarled.

"Get 'im boss!" One of the guys shouted. "Show 'im da pinball move!"

The leader of the gang wound up his fist, like someone would pull the trigger on a pinball machine. Within a flash of a second, the fist struck down and collided into Issac's face. Issac was sent flying to the tree some feet away, already damaged heavily. This earned laughs from the group. But they weren't done. The leader walked over to Issac and picked him up by the arm.

"Watch dis, girlie." The leader smirked at Rhythmi. "Your boyfriend ain't so tough."

"NO STOP!" Rhythmi screamed.

Issac's arm was bent in a funny position. The blond genius cried out in pain. He tried to squirm free and fight back but the enemy was way too strong. The arm kept getting bent and bent…

CRACK!

Though she was no medical expert, Rhythmi panicked as she heard that sound. It sounded like Issac's arm was broken. Issac seemed to know this too. His eyes were wide and shaken gasps came from his mouth. Blood poured from his nose like a river while the right eye was starting to swell with colors coming in. Poor boy was seriously hurt!

"HEY! Let him go!"

The gang turned around. Sven and Wendy! Thank arceus!

"Rangers!" One of the guys yelped.

"Let the kid go and scram." Sven commanded.

"Don't you ever harm someone like that or you bet your ass we'll throw you in jail." Wendy threatened.

"Crud! Lets get outta here!" The leader threw Issac on the ground, taking off with his cronies.

Rhythmi crawled over to the boy, resting him in her lap. Wendy and Sven came over to take a look as well.

"Rhythmi…" Issac weakly looked up at her. "Y-you're not hurt are you?"

"No. I'm fine." Rhythmi shook her head. "B-but look at you! You got hurt cause of me!"

Issac's smile was faint. "I would gladly give up my safety for yours…Rhythmi…"

With that, Issac grew limp. He passed out. From the skies, the clouds gathered and grew dark. Looks like the weather was changing fast.

Sven inspected Issac. "Broken arm, swollen face and probably a broken nose too. We need to get him to the hospital. Now."

Sven lifted Issac, then led the girls into Pueltown as they went to the hospital.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Meanwhile, in Vien Forest…

"Aw man!" Seren muttered as she got off voicemail.

"What's wrong?" Kellyn asked.

"Kate called. She just got a call from Rhythmi who said Issac was admitted to the hospital." Seren informed.

"What!" Kellyn exclaimed.

"Not sure on the details but some thugs beat up Issac. He's been taken into intensive care." Seren told him.

"First Luana in emergency room, now Issac? They must be in a lot of pain." Kellyn sighed.

There it was again. Another opportunity but it was missed. Could've mentioned how Issac's face would be ruined by bruises or how unattractive an arm cast would be. But Kellyn didn't say anything.

It was like that all day. He let Seren use the bathroom no problem. Didn't obsess over his looks once. Actually, he appreciated the looks of everything else. Took the time to comment how nature looked exceptional (minus the rainclouds gathering at that moment) or how cute/cool a pokemon looked. He commented nice things to people on their quests such as 'you have a nice sense of humor' or 'that shirt looks great'. Kellyn didn't compliment other people. Nor did he compliment Seren.

"_Hey Sere? Are you using a new conditioner? Your hair's so soft and shiny."_

"_Yeah…? You noticed?"_

"_Of course I noticed. I notice everything about you."_

That was a little weird. Seren was never complimented on her appearance. Maybe an occasional 'good job' for a capture but not on her looks. Though looks didn't matter so much to her, Seren liked hearing the praise. Made her feel a tiny bit more confident. For the entire patrol, Kellyn slipped in compliments for Seren; be it appearance or skills.

"_You have a cute laugh, you know."_

The most recent nice thing Kellyn said and that affected Seren the most. She always thought her laugh was awkward. Made her try to resist laughing so people wouldn't judge. Kellyn liked it though. And that made Seren relax, smiling more.

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE…

The sky was super dark now. Before either ranger said something, a cascade of water poured from the heavens.

"Ack! Raining? Already?"

"Come on! We better find shelter till the rain lets up!" Kellyn suggested.

Seren nodded. The two rangers ran through the town, trying to find someplace to lie low. Normally it was a bad idea to hide under a tree during what could be a thunderstorm. But Vien Forest had a lot of trees. Plus there was one not as tall as the others (no chance of attracting lightning) with big leaves that left a spot on the ground perfectly dry.

"This way!" Kellyn said.

SLIP! CRASH!

The raven haired girl had tripped. She found herself colliding face first into the mud. Kellyn skidded to a halt before turning around and coming back. He grabbed Seren's hand and helped her get up from the mud. The boy took Seren with him as they ran for the safety spot.

"Seren? Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?" Kellyn questioned.

"No…" Seren wiped mud from her face. "I'm alright."

She was feeling pretty pathetic; all covered in mud, soaking wet. Now she was waiting for the remarks to start. Kellyn would say Seren was muddy and looked like a complete mess. Then launch into complaints about his ruined hair, how he had to look absolutely perfect and such. Same old thing.

"I heard mud is good for the skin."

Huh?

"If that's true, your skin's going to be as soft as silk." Kellyn said. "Although it's pretty soft as it is. Hard to improve on perfection."

Seren blinked, lost on what was going on.

"And even with all that mud on, you still look pretty." Kellyn grinned.

"A-are you being serious right now?" Seren questioned.

"Of course I am. I wouldn't lie to you about that." Kellyn told her. "I don't think I'd ever lie to you about anything. You're very pretty, Seren. Like an angel."

The girl in questioned looked at Kellyn with a shocked expression. Tears formed inside her eyes as her skin trembled. Kellyn noticed. He was about to ask when Seren couldn't fight it any longer. She bawled and leapt into Kellyn's chest, crying in his already damp shirt.

"I'm not pretty! I was never pretty!" Seren cried. "And you're never this nice to me! Why are you suddenly telling me this stuff when you know it's not true?"

"It is true, Seren. You're a gorgeous girl." Kellyn wrapped his arms around her. "I realized that I was obsessed with my own looks. That I hadn't really seen the world through another perspective. So I opened up my eyes, not looking or thinking about myself anymore. I saw how awesome the world is and the people's true colors. And….and I saw you. That's when I realized how lucky I am to be with such an amazing person."

Tears kept spilling from Seren's eyes. But she managed to look up at Kellyn. She hadn't noticed before what with all the gloating. Now she could see Kellyn did actually have a good looking face. Though Seren could see past it all. She saw that Kellyn, deep down inside, was a magnificent person. Falling sleep in those arms, Seren felt as lucky as a fairy tale princess. As if she was safe within the arms of her prince.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

For what seemed like eternity, Luana floated in the dark sub-consciousness of her mind. Voices gurgled but were impossible to disqtinquish. There was no pain. Only a vast, cold emptiness. It felt so lonely. But eventually, Luana started to force herself out of the mindset and away from the dreamworld.

Once out of the unconsciousness, pain erupted throughout Luana's body. Throat was raw and scratched. Stomach was in so much pain and completely empty. No fever but a headache was pounding her skull. And the body was aching like mad. Could barely move. It was hard to even open her own eyes.

Light poured into the eyes, blinding her for a moment. Luana tried to make sense of the image before her. A shadow watched over her from the side. It slowly formed into a familiar person.

"C-crawford…?" Luana weakly said.

"Luana!" Crawford gasped. "You're awake!"

Luana could soon see she was in a white hospital room. An IV ran into her arm, putting in a strange fluid. She was on a bed with Crawford sitting beside her. He looked so worn out and pale.

"You're smiling again." Luana's voice was still a bit raspy.

"Of course I am! You're awake! Heck, you're _alive_! That's reason enough to be smiling!" Crawford told her.

"What happened?" Luana coughed.

"Well apparently the milk in our fridge was spoiled. And your immune system wasn't at its finest. You got a wicked bad case of food poisoning." Crawford explained. "They had to pump your stomach to empty out any remaining milk you hadn't thrown up on the beach. Even your blood was contaminated so they had to drain some of that too."

Luana noticed a bandage on Crawford's arm. Crawford saw her staring, grinned and held the arm up for her to see better.

"Heh…a lot of blood was drained. And they had to get an on-the-spot donor." Crawford sheepishly admitted. "I guess now I'll always be inside you."

Luana giggled at the innuendo. Crawford relaxed at this.

"Luana? Why didn't you tell me you were feeling sick?" He questioned.

The dark haired girl looked guilty, looking away from him. "I…I didn't want to make you madder than you already were."

"Mad?" Crawford was confused. "I wasn't mad."

"But you ignored me until I threw up. No jokes or anything. And you barely talked to me." Luana's eyes grew moist. "I-I felt like I did something wrong. I couldn't trouble you anymore. You'd hate me."

"Luana I would never hate you." Crawford said.

"Then why…?" A tear slipped down her cheek.

"Because I thought you were mad at me." Crawford sighed. "I thought you hated my sense of humor. So I tried being serious. Maybe you'd like that better. But in my attempts to be serious, I didn't realize that I hurt your feelings and ignored your sense of well-being."

"But I like it when you're funny."

Crawford looked at her with wide eyes. "You do?"

"Of course." Luana leaned back against the pillow. "Sometimes your jokes are repeated too often or too corny. But you have a sense of humor that no one else has. You make me smile when I need it. I'm always happy when I'm with you."

The afro ranger stared at her for a long time. A smile melted onto his face. He slipped a hand on hers.

"I'm happy when I'm with you, too. I make those jokes because I like seeing your smile." Crawford admitted. "Actually, I li-…"

Knock! Knock!

Before Crawford could say anything else, someone opened the door and came inside. A nurse. She found Luana was awake and grabbed her clipboard, starting to scribble notes. The nurse wanted Crawford out of the room so she could ask Luana some questions. He offered to get food but nurse strictly ordered a liquid diet the next few days. Luana knew Crawford would be back soon though she felt lonely. She wanted him with her. And she wanted to know what he was going to say.

Questions were asked and answers were given. Simple physical tests done & dealt with. The nurse wrote down a lot of notes on her clipboard.

"You know, that friend of yours was worried about you." The nurse said.

"Really?" Luana responded.

"Oh sure." The nurse told her. "He carried you here, completely freaked out. Stayed with you while your stomach was pumped and during medical treatment. Hasn't even left your side once while you were unconscious."

Luana's cheeks were pink. That was incredibly sweet!

"You ought to hold onto him tight. Not many guys would care about a girl the way he does about you." The nurse winked.

Nurse left the room, leaving Luana alone. She smiled as she knew Crawford would be back in soon. And hopefully, he'd make a few new jokes. Hey, laughter is the best medicine right?

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

A couple floors up was Issac in bed. Wendy and Sven had been ushered away but Rhythmi (after much fighting with the nurses) was allowed to stay by Issac's side. The blond guy had a swollen eye with sickish colors. Had to wear a medical eye patch until he was healed up. Nose was broken so there was a white patch on the nose. Wouldn't be able to smell for awhile. And then a broken arm too.

"Oh Issac…" Rhythmi whispered.

"You know, even one eye still has depth perception. And I can still see how radiant you look." Issac grasped her hand.

"I can't believe you did that for me. Y-you never get involved with conflicts." Rhythmi said.

"Had to. I was taught that a lady is a delicate flower. One that should protected and never harmed." Issac told her. "That's why I took on those men. Even if it meant getting hurt."

"I still don't understand. You're not usually so confident or strong. What's going on with you?" Rhythmi questioned.

Issac was quiet for a moment, hesitating. Rhythmi patiently waited for an answer.

"I'm sorry." Issac apologized. "But I had been so busy with work lately. And whenever the Union wasn't giving me research to do, I was trying to find ways to impress you. Alas, in the process, I've managed to ignore you. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. So I decided maybe you'd like me again if I paid more attention to you and became assertive. Maybe try something that you would enjoy."

"Thank you." Rhythmi smiled, face turning red. "Issac, though I do like you're a little stronger than before, I already liked you for who you are."

"And I like you for being positive, outgoing and kind. You're more than a friend to me, Rhythmi." Issac confessed.

Rhythmi leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Issac's cheek. She felt exactly the same way.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Excuse me, ma'am? Could you tell me what floor Luana would be on? The girl with the dark hair and her friend with an afro?"

"Eh…y-yes! I think they're three floors down! Ask the receptionist what room number!"

News about Luana hit the two top rangers so they decided to visit. Course they needed directions first. Wendy listened to the exchange between Sven and a hospital nurse. A young, pink haired woman who looked flustered just looking at Sven. Another heart fallen victim to the cowboy yet again. Wendy waited for the flirtation to begin.

"W-would you like to go out with me?" The nurse shyly asked. "I mean, I get off in twenty minutes. And there's…t-there's this great Italian place down the street…"

"No thanks." Sven refused. "But have a nice day."

Another missed opportunity to get a girl? Sven hadn't gotten the ones at Chroma Valley. And when he helped get Issac to the hospital, female nurses were adoring him like nuts. The dude had his own fan club! But Sven didn't even look at other women or accept their invitations for a date. Normally, he'd be overjoyed with the attention.

"You know, we're at a hospital." Wendy said to him as they walked the hallway.

"Yeah?" Sven glanced at her.

"If there's something wrong with your head, we could go ask a doctor to check it out." Wendy suggested.

Sven chuckled. "And what makes you think someone's wrong with me?"

"Really? You don't know?" Wendy raised an eyebrow.

"Know what, Wen'?" Sven asked.

"What the hell, man? You've been acting weird all day! First, you're being a total gentleman to me. Then you're suddenly paying extra attention to me. And what's really got me stumped is the other girls." Wendy started to tell him.

"Other girls?" Sven looked lost.

"You act like you haven't seen another girl all day! Those two girls in Chroma Valley were totally into you but you brush them off! Not to mention all these nurses." Went continued. "All these women who throw themselves at you but you don't go after any!"

They reached the elevator. Wendy pressed the button as they waited for a car to come up.

"What's with you all of a sudden?" She muttered.

The elevator car arrived. Sven graciously allowed Wendy in first before he entered. He pressed the button for the hospital floor where Luana would be.

"It's because I only have eyes for one girl now." Sven told the green haired ranger as the doors closed.

"Who?" Wendy asked.

"You."

The car jerked before starting to go down. Wendy whirled to face Sven, shocked.

"Don't mess with me, dude. I can break your arm as bad as Issac's if you even think about…" Wendy growled.

"I'm not messing with you, Wendy. I like you." Sven calmly said to her.

Wendy was speechless. She wanted to ask or say something but the words wouldn't form. Instead, the girl was silent and frozen in place.

"I've always admired you. You're a pretty girl with brains and a fiery attitude. Great partner to have on the ranger force." Sven admitted. "But I had been busy going after other women to keep me entertained. You were ignored and left to handle quests on your own, for which I'm deeply sorry. Thought I'd make it up to you if I was a little nicer. And I realized something. I don't need a ton of girls to be happy. Just one. You."

Wendy still felt skeptical. "Can you prove all that?"

"I can." Sven smirked.

Without warning, the cowboy swung Wendy into an embrace and kissed her. Wendy felt a shock of electricity run through their lips. She was startled for a moment but found herself melting to the passion that came from her partner. Almost was disappointed when the kiss ended.

"That proof enough for ya?" Sven questioned.

Wendy didn't say anything. She was staring into those twinkling eyes. Her heart pounded furiously. Blood pulsed through her body. What a rush!

"I could hit the elevator buttons again. Give you more evidence?" Sven chuckled.

"NO." Wendy shook her head. "That…w-was enough. Pretty decent kiss."

Doors opened. Wendy tried to regain her composure as she walked out. Sven followed right behind. The nurses still went gaga over the cowboy. But his focus was on his green haired partner only. Actually, it looked like he was glowing from sheer happiness. Was he really that into Wendy?

"So you in love with me yet?" Sven asked.

"Hardly." Wendy stubbornly replied.

"Well I'll just have to try harder then." Sven said, determined.

Wendy grumbled some curses in response.

"I'm thinking maybe we could go out for a snack after we visit our friends." Sven suggested. "There's a place that sells some good smoothies."

Smoothies? Damn it. Wendy always loved smoothies. And Sven knew that weakness of hers.

"Why not?" Wendy sighed. "But it's so not a date."

"Whatever you say, sweetie."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

It was evening. Frostbitten duo Kate and Keith came back from the Hia Valley. Though they wanted to see their friends in the hospital, they were exhausted. Besides, they'd come the next day. With everyone visiting and such, Luana and Issac must be tired. Not exactly easy to heal with company every few seconds.

Besides, Kate already had too much on her mind. Would never be able to talk to other people if her thoughts were driving her crazy. Actually it was more like Keith who drove her crazy. The guy was so weird today! He was friendly and nice all day long. Did nice gestures like bringing breakfast, helping her up when Kate fell, random little compliments…random. And then the really insane part.

Keith listened to her.

If Kate suggested a certain area in the Hia Valley might be too hazardous, Keith would agree. When he asked Kate's opinion and she answered, Keith made sure to tune in to her completely. Heck, the guy carried out some normal conversations but then he wanted to ask Kate questions about herself. Kate complied; some of what was asked was sort of fun to answer. In return, Kate asked questions about Keith. Odd how the more she asked and listened, the more interesting Keith seemed to be. Kate found it cool to learn her partners past and preferences. He had a deep mind when it wasn't stubborn or filled with hot air.

"Should I like this? I mean, I liked Keith for who he was before but this is sorta nice too." Kate thought.

Attentive and kind of sweet. Plus without the constant loud mouth blasting away, Kate could see that her partner was genuinely cute. Granted she thought that a few times before but this time seemed different. As if seeing those red wind-tossed spikes, green eyes and dazzling smile in a whole new light.

"Pokepenny for your thoughts?"

Keith's voice brought Kate back down to earth again. She shook her head.

"No it's fine." Kate mumbled.

"Come on. I'm curious." Keith said. "Looked like you were thinking about something good."

In a way, yes.

"Well…um…" Kate stumbled over her words for a bit. "I was thinking that you seem different today."

"Different? How so?" Keith asked.

"No competitiveness at all today. No irritation, impatience or snippy comments. Not even a single insult about my ugly pigtails or how my ranger skills aren't as good as yours." Kate explained. "All day today, you paid attention to me and what I've said. For the first time, you're interested in me as a best friend and not just a rival. Not once did I feel like I had to yell at you for something."

Keith watched her, ears tuned in to what Kate said. His face held a blank expression for a moment. But then he smiled and looked towards the sky.

"I was hoping you'd notice the change." Keith said.

"You mean you knew?" Kate blinked.

"Of course. I was purposely trying to not be myself." Keith replied. "Donned an entirely new personality. At first, I just wanted to mess with you. Maybe get you angry at me so we'd have plenty of fire for the ranger capture contests and races."

That was why he changed? This whole thing was fake for _that_ reason? Kate was getting angry alright…

"But then…" Keith went on. "I started to like what was going on. You were in a much more positive mood. Lot of smiling and laughing. I liked that. So I kept up the charade, despite the urge to compete or say something sarcastic."

"Or stupid." Kate giggled.

"Yeah. That too." Keith sweatdropped. "And hearing you talk was really nice. You had interesting stories and opinions. I realized that I barely knew anything about you, despite the fact you're my closest friend. Had to learn more. It was fun finding out more stuff about you and your life. You know, I still want to learn everything about you and hear you talk more."

Keith looked at her. He took her hand into his own.

"Also, without focusing on the competitions, I had more time to think. And I discovered something I should've known about a long time ago." Keith continued. "Kate? I really like you. A lot. I've…I've really fallen for you."

Kate gasped. Did Keith just say that? The stubborn, arrogant redhead confessed to liking her?

"I know I'm not exactly soft and sensitive but I'll always be there for you. I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy." Keith murmured, embarrassed.

Lips quivering from emotions and tears ready to burst, Kate suddenly hugged Keith. Keith looked pretty surprised by the action but he wasn't pushing her away.

"You're stubborn, competitive, energetic, impatient and sometimes a complete idiot. But you're also my best friend. And you can be funny, sweet, spirited, loyal and caring when you want to be. I like you for all of that, Keith." Kate whispered. "Might've been falling for you for a long time. Didn't realize it till now."

Keith smiled. He took Kate into a gentle embrace. As the sun set beside them in the mountain tops, they kissed.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Several days later, the guys met again for some time out. Hung out on the beach south of Chicole village this time. Issac's injuries were getting better. Eye patch still worn though the swelling went down. Broken arm wasn't as sore. Nose was almost healed up. He was still quite the sight. _

"So Rhythmi doesn't mind the looks?" Kellyn asked. "You know, all battered and bruised?"

"Not at all. Actually, she uses my injuries as an excuse to check up on me often and spend time with me. We're together more than ever since that happened." Issac answered.

"Nice!" Sven high-fived him (Issac used the non-broken arm & hand).

"How's Luana holding up?" Keith asked Crawford.

"Definitely better. She goes home this evening and she'll be able to eat soft foods. But no dairy for another two weeks." Crawford replied.

"I think that's understandable after what happened." Keith sweatdropped.

"She's a tough girl. Doesn't cry over spoiled milk." Crawford joked. "Eh? Better? Or are these jokes getting sour?"

The guys shrugged. It was a so-so joke.

"Oh well. I'll have to try harder on the comedy. All that laughter is making Luana better so I need top-notch material." Crawford said.

"Writing jokes for her? Some dedication." Issac noticed.

"Sooo have you told her yet? About you liking her?" Sven asked.

Crawford chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Well not yet. But I will! Luana says she likes me for my humor and optimism. So surely if I keep making her happy, she'll feel the same way."

"Assuming she doesn't already." Keith noted.

"Oh? And what about you?" Crawford questioned the redhead. "How's it going with Kate?"

Keith shrugged casually. Didn't say anything.

"Nothing? Really?" Crawford tested.

"That's not what the operators at the Union say." Sven snickered.

Issac pulled out a photograph. It was taken from the third floor windows. And there it was. The magical kiss that Keith shared with Kate. Caught right on film.

"Arceus dammit…" Keith face palmed. "We wanted to keep it secret!"

"With rangers and operators, there are no such things as secrets." Kellyn commented.

"Then tell us, he who is obsessed with his looks." Keith remarked. "How's things with Seren?"

Kellyn laid back against the rocks. "Getting there. I've captured her attention and we're hanging out pretty often. Just a little more before I make my move."

"You make it sound like a game, dude." Crawford sweatdropped.

"Love is like a game, in a way." Sven noted. "You find your target and you have to capture them using whatever means necessary. Huge risks. All worth it in the end."

"Are you winning Wendy over?" Issac asked.

"Slowly but surely." Sven smirked. "She's too stubborn to admit it. I know I've got her."

"Have to say, Keith. That idea of yours was the best thing that ever happened to us." Kellyn said.

"I concur. All I needed was confidence to get through to Rhythmi."

"I would've let a great gal like Wendy slip away if not for this plan."

"I found Luana likes funny guys."

"While I found beauty in things besides myself. Like my partner."

Keith grinned. "And I opened my eyes for once. Only to see more in my partner than I ever dreamed there could be."

The guys hadn't gone back to normal after that. But they certainly didn't keep those new personalities. Keith learned to settle down every now and again. He listened to Kate and was gentler. Of course he was still pretty rash but Kate laughed, playing along with it. They were always together. Always so happy.

Issac healed up to normal eventually. While he kept studying and inventing, there was time devoted especially to Rhythmi. And he went outside sometimes to enjoy the fresh air with his girl.

Sven paid attention to Wendy. He was himself, of course. But he also did show some gentleman in him at times. Wendy was slowly starting to be won over as they went out on more dates together.

Crawford spent a lot of time with Luana, always smiling and making her smile. Melted his heart to see her in high spirits. As he continued thinking new jokes, Crawford made a promise. When she healed completely, he'd confess the truth to Luana. And hopefully, she'd feel the same.

Finally, Kellyn wasn't freaking out about his looks. As much. Cut down on bathroom time and tried hard not to panic if something was slightly off. Better yet, he was focusing on Seren. He always made sure to tell her she was pretty as well as compliment her personality or ranger skills. It was boosting the girls confidence. And Kellyn's own confidence was building, slowly rising to the point where he'd admit his own true feelings.

Each guy found love in their own special way. All it took was a change of mind to see what they were missing before.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**So assuming I'd have more time to write, I thought maybe I could try writing the final boss scene of Coraline into ranger style. Always did love that story/movie. And then there's one of my favorite video games; Kid Icarus Uprising. I've been thinking of writing some of that too.**

**Chia: I've noticed you haven't written much of other characters.**

**Working on that. I've been meaning to write more Lunick and Solana. Maybe occasional Ben and Summer. Plus some of the minor ranger cast of other regions. *makes some notes* Though there may end up being a sequel to Transformation. We'll see what our readers have to say about all these suggestions.**

**Chia: Next update's soon?**

**Hopefully. Be patient and see you guys real soon!**


	11. Beauty & The Beast

**BACK FROM VACATION!...not the best one but I'll take it. *sweatdrop* And yes, it's another one without Monsters Inc. How ironic that my mom decided to toy with the computer before I upload the chapter. And that she wiped out all my pictures, stories and updates. **

**Chia: Wow did you look ticked.**

**Of course I was ticked! And I know my readers would be too! Plus, when I went to find the movie for a re-write of that update and refer to, the website took it down. Now I need to find a new online source. That may take a bit.**

**Chia: Explain this chapter before your readers get bored.**

**Alrighty then. During vacation, I did end up getting sick so I was stuck in the hotel room with hours of free time by myself as well as cable tv. And I dreamed up a rewrite for Beauty & The Buizel fanfic I wrote earlier. So there will be a Beauty & The Buizel 2 rewrite in the near future.**

**Chia: This would be something related?**

**Sort of Beauty & The Beast based after a dream I had about our favorite blonde couple. And why not? How many sci-fi versions of the story are there? Hopefully, you guys shall like this! Read, review, enjoy…**

**Chia: AND KILL SKY FOR NO MONSTERS INC!**

**NO! DON'T KILL ME!**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_There once was a teenage boy with a brilliant mind seen only once or twice in a century. Though his looks weren't handsome or his physique tough, the boy was far more advanced in mathematics, sciences and engineering. His unique skills were recognized by Almia's most famous company; Altru. There, the genius became a professor and worked among other smart people in the career. He was happy to learn, invent new things and to benefit the world of pokemon._

_But then came that fateful, stormy night._

_The genius was asked by high command to dive into genetics and pokemon's true strength. By researching this, scientists could possibly find a way to enhance pokemon to make them powerful. Perhaps enough to save or bring back pokemon from extinction. It was a goal the genius was hopeful in. He was sure he got the mechanics just right. Better yet, it wouldn't end up like that rumored failed accident of mewtwo and Cinnabar lab. And that night, he'd not only bring back an extinct pokemon. The genius would make it far more advanced than any pokemon seen so far._

_However, not even he could have predicted what happened next._

_No one knew that the calculations were tampered with and held a grave error. Nor were they aware that the machine held too much power for the experiment to take in._

_Explosions took out the entire room the lab was located on. Scientists died a slow, vicious death among the flames. The genius was left alive but he hadn't escaped the horror. As the machine exploded, the DNA was plunged straight into him. A hideous transformation took place to the poor boy. His peach skin became as hard as metal with a purple coating. The waist contracted, forcing the insides to protrude into a strange abdomen. Hands and feet stuck together like magnets, dipped in a lavender hue. Eyes became red and bulgy. The lips stretched across the face, disappearing into the skull to become a distorted fake smile. Just like that, the genius had become a beast._

_The genius had hoped that Altru would help him. After so many sacrifices to the company and furthering technologic advances, surely they'd do something. But what the genius didn't realize was how blind he had been._

_Altru didn't care about people or pokemon. It's president only wanted darkness; to take over Almia with brute force. He gathered the Dim Sun organization to do so. And with the genius as their ultimate war weapon, nothing could stop the president from world domination. Horrified, the genius fled Altru._

_People were appalled by his monstrous appearance. Pokemon were struck terrified. Even the genius's own family couldn't recognize him. There was no choice but to hide away. The genius made himself a base in a secret location and tried everything he could to return to normal. No amount of science, technology or anything worked._

_The genius discovered one thing. Returning to normal could be done. But it was a shrinking possibility. If he couldn't find the cure for his problem in time, he'd be doomed to live his life as a beastly pokemon monster. And as weeks passed, hope was soon becoming lost…_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"What a beautiful day!"

A blonde girl in a green operators uniform took a deep breath of the mountain air of the Chroma Valley.

"Beautiful? You must be out of your mind."

Behind her came two top rangers; one with brown pigtails and another with spiky red hair.

"What? You don't appreciate nature, Keith?" Rhythmi asked the redhead.

"First off, its evening. And it's going to rain soon." Keith pointed out.

Rhythmi rolled her eyes. "Yeah well I don't get out of the Union much, ok? About time I got some fresh air."

"Not so fast. Looks like the air's about to go bad." Kate, the pigtailed girl, said.

Some feet away, on the cliffs rock edge, Dim Sun grunts were spotted. They had murkrow with them that were ready to fire off black smog. If that stuff got around the valley, it'd be dangerous. Not just for vision but longterm exposure might make pokemon sick.

"Those jerks." Keith whipped out the styler. "About time we take 'em down. You two ready?"

"Ready!" Kate gave a thumbs up.

"Let's go!" Rhythmi nodded.

And so the trio came charging up the mountainside.

See, Dim Sun had been terrorizing Almia for quite some time. Kidnapping pokemon, setting up mind-control machines for pokemon, causing terror and such. Top Rangers Kate and Keith were assigned to Chroma Valley that day to deal with more pokemon abductions. But rumor had it that Dim Sun might bring murkrow which would produce black smog. Black smog did nothing good for a ranger styler. So the Union sent operator Rhythmi to recharge stylers and check for damage using her laptop. Since an operator spent most of the time in a chair indoors, Rhythmi welcomed the change of pace.

"Another Dim Wit group defeated!" Kate cheered as the Dim Sun goons ran away in defeat.

"AW YEAH! WE KICK BUTT!" Keith whoop'd, dancing about.

Rhythmi laughed as she recharged the stylers. It was always great spending time with her best friends. Even if they were weird at times.

"You think that's the last of them?" Kate asked.

"Maybe." Rhythmi shrugged. "There were reports of numerous groups of Dim Sun. But we've only seen three all afternoon. I think that might be it."

"Doesn't matter." Keith smugly said. "If there's 1 or 100, I'll take them all on! Nothing can stop a ranger!"

KABOOM!

"….except rain?" Kate raised an eyebrow as a heavy downpour engulfed the valley.

"Uh yeah." Keith sweatdropped.

"Eek!" Rhythmi yelped. "We gotta get out of this rain before we catch colds!"

"Race ya down the mountain!" Keith challenged.

The redhead already took off down the cliffs. Kate yelled something before running right off afterhim.

"Hey wait up!" Rhythmi called.

Damn they were quick. The operator stashed the laptop in her bag and started to run right after them. Rain got heavier by the second. Hard to see in front of you. And the water was already making the rocks super slippery. While a rangers shoes had traction, an operators' did not. Rhythmi was already having trouble.

"Kate! Keith!" Rhythmi shouted. "Come on you guys! Slow down!"

Couldn't even see them anymore. Lost track of where they were. Rhythmi had to hustle through and hope they were…

Crumble. Crumble.

Something didn't feel right. It felt like the cliffs shook. Either that or…

Crumble. Crumble. BOOM!

Without warning, Rhythmi felt the ground disappear from under her feet. Rocks tumbled down the high canyon walls. And within mere seconds, Rhythmi followed them. The girl screamed as she fell the long way down. Her body was smashed over and over by boulders and scraping up against the sharp walls. A few times, the head was struck. She soon crashed through the treetops and deep within the forest. Rhythmi rolled a little ways before lying in a crumpled heap in the wet grass. Thunder echoed across the sky.

The pain was excruciating. Black spots danced in front of the operator's vision. Rhythmi was barely able to prop herself on her elbows.

"Keith! Kate!" Rhythmi shouted to the skies. "Someone! Help!"

Soon, it became too much for her to bear. Pain overcome Rhythmi and swept across her brain. With that, she collapsed onto the ground unconscious.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Though she passed out, Rhythmi's mind was stuck in some sort of limbo for what seemed like eternity. She wanted to wake up. But something prevented her. Like her body lacked energy. As if she had to recharge after the brutal beating it took. Rhythmi waited a long time in the darkness of her head. She waited for the moment her body was barely recovered enough to pry her eyes open.

Vision was blurry at first. It adjusted soon enough. Eyes were staring at a wooden ceiling. Looking around, Rhythmi found herself on a couch in a log cabin. Though it was much bigger than an ordinary log cabin. Really messy too. Filled with boxes, papers and random materials of sorts. Rhythmi's laptop lied next to the couch but it was smashed into pieces; probably impossible to fix. A single light was on, creating a small warm glow in the dark. A window on the other side of the room told her that it was very late at night and the storm grew worse.

Rhythmi groaned as she tried to sit up. Had to go slowly as pain vibrated from everywhere. She inspected herself. The operator jacket was taken off; all that was on was the white tank top. Left arm, close to the shoulder, held a wrapped bandage. Bruises decorated the arms and leg (it felt like there was one on the head too). But the most noticeable injury was the cast on her right foot. Though Rhythmi tried to move it, it was painful to do so.

"_I see you are awake."_

A voice rang out. Rhythmi's eyes darted everywhere to track the source.

"_You've sustained heavy damage from your fall. There's a cut on your arm, a broken foot and what I suspect is a concussion."_

There it was again. Odd. It sounded like there was a human's voice but…why did it sound metallic as well? Rhythmi squinted to see something was hiding in the shadows of the room.

"Did you help me?" She asked.

"_I did. I heard screams and came to assist you. Couldn't leave you alone in those woods in the condition you're in."_

"Well um…thank you." Rhythmi said. "Would you mind if I use your phone? I'm sure my friends are worried about me."

"_I have to apologize. There aren't any telephones here or for some ways."_

"Oh. Then can I borrow your laptop?" Rhythmi requested.

"_It's not connected to the internet."_

Rhythmi sat back against the arm rest of the couch. No phone or internet? How'd she get into contact with the Union? They had no clue where she was. Would they be worried? Kate always cared about the well-being of her closest friends. And Keith was like a brother to Rhythmi. Keith, though he wouldn't admit it, treated Rhythmi like a sister. Naturally he'd be concerned. The operator hated to think if her friends were out there looking for her now.

"Is there any way I can reach my friends?" Rhythmi asked. "I mean, maybe once the storm clears up, I can go search for them."

"_I doubt you'd get far in that state."_

"True…" Rhythmi sighed, looking at her cast. "Er…I hate to be a bother but once morning comes and the rain stops, could you see if you can find a ranger? They would gladly help."

"…_.I can't."_

"You can't?"

"_I'm in no condition to leave the premises."_

Rhythmi was about to speak again when her eyes caught something. The silhouette in the shadows, where the voice came from. It looked different than a normal human shaped silhouette. Weird. And a little suspicious.

The girl gulped but then said, "Step into the light."

Silence. The silhouette shifted forward into the light as asked. That wasn't a human at all. I-it was a pokemon! No, a monster! An ugly creature of some kind! A purple bug-like robot with a creepy grin, piercing red eyes and a bulky cannon on its back. Rhythmi gasped, holding a hand to her mouth in shock. Her skin grew eerily white. This _thing_ saved her?

"I-…i-is that w-what you really look like?" Rhythmi whispered, scared.

"…_yes." _

Rhythmi was too stunned to say anything else. Her hands trembled in fear. What was this pokemon going to do to her? Would it imprison or eat her? Maybe tortureher? Or worse?

"_I know you're not exactly…pleased with my appearance. But in your state, you can't leave this house. And I cannot get help. Until you recover from those injuries, you'll have to stay here."_

Stay there? With _it_? To be held in this place, helpless against whatever this monster was? It made Rhythmi freeze in terror. Who knew what this thing would do to her?

"_Relax. I promise I will never harm you. My only intention is to heal you back to normal."_

Rhythmi stared at the pokemon in utter confusion. A beast such as that didn't want to abuse her? No killing, hurting or using her? Nothing? What sort of pokemon was this thing? Before Rhythmi could get another word out, a dizzying headache struck. The girl fell back against the pillow as her consciousness started to fade.

"_Get some rest. You'll need a lot of it, should you wish to recover quickly."_

The pokemon came over to the couch. Rhythmi shivered as it neared. But instead of damaging the girl further, the creature used its claw-things to pick up a blanket and drape it over Rhythmi. This surprised the operator greatly. Though she wanted to question this, she soon found herself warming up to the soft blanket and drifting back to sleep.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

With the girl asleep, the genius went back to another room in the house. One with machines and scientific equipment. Though it wasn't much to work with, it was luck that there were any tech stuff at all in this place. It was probably some sort of base for an oil company many years ago. Had to be shut down. Luckily, the facilities still worked and there was some food supplies that lasted for years to come. Though the genius was stuck in this mutant form, at least Rhythmi would do alright.

"_Rhythmi."_

The genius had seen her nametag on that uniform she wore. What a pretty name. Sounded like the name of his sister. Hadn't seen her since before this mess began. How was she? Was she doing alright? Did she even notice her own brother was missing?

Work was started on the machine. Not easy typing with claw-things but the genius managed best he could. Though it was getting harder to find a cure, the genius pressed on. There had to be something. All he knew was the time frame for returning to normal was increasingly short. Not much time left before this would become permanent. That and the cure was a trigger. Something had to happen or the genius must expose himself to something for the reverse transformation. But what?

"Nnnnggg…"

A sound came from another room. The genius paused. He listed to the couch shift and a soft moan before it grew silent again. Rhythmi must be dreaming.

That girl took a lot of damage. She was tougher than other women but still delicate nonetheless. Her cries for help attracted the genius's attention right away. And though he was in this ugly form, he was taught that a gentleman should always help a lady. So the genius went out to do so. Carried the unconscious girl and carefully treated the wounds as best as he could.

Had to admit. Rhythmi was kind of pretty. A soft girl with curves so fragile, it looked like she might break. Her eyes were a gentle green that the genius couldn't help but admire. Very rarely were there any blonde, green eyed girls such as her. They always struck a chord in the scientist. Rhythmi? Something was different about her. It seemed easier to be pulled into her; what with those looks and soft voice.

But the genius had to remind himself not to get pulled in. He saw how Rhythmi reacted to his appearance. She was completely revolted. Probably would've run off if not for that leg. The genius sighed, knowing the girl wouldn't enjoy her stay here. His promise not to harm her was sincere but Rhythmi didn't seem to believe him.

There was a cracked mirror on the wall. The genius glanced over at it, seeing a monster stare back.

"_Can't say I blame her. I may be an intelligent scientist but I'm trapped inside a warped body. And this may be all she ever sees of me."_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Morning came. Sunlight peaked through the blinds and onto Rhythmi's face. The operator groaned as she slowly awoke from her slumber. Pain erupted from the shoulders and leg, reminding her everything that happened the night before. Shoulder stung, head ached and leg was broken. Rhythmi found a piece of broken screen from her destroyed laptop. Yep. Huge bruise on her forehead. Not even the heaviest makeup would cover that up.

"So much for my cuteness." Rhythmi thought.

A sudden spark made the girl remember something else. What saved her was a strange pokemon beast with a gruesome look. Could make anyone scream and run for the hills.

"Maybe that was just a side effect from the concussion." Rhythmi mentally assured herself. "I had to have been rescued by a nice guy who I should apologize to and thank for the help."

Question is, where is he? And how to get around this place? Rhythmi scanned the room. Something stuck out from one of the boxes. She forced herself off the couch and used her good leg to hop over. Using a box tower for support, Rhythmi searched through the box to find…yes! A pair of crutches! Really old and worn but whatever was weak could be supported with enough duct tape or something. Heck, maybe even use it as a cane should it fall apart. How convenient.

Rhythmi used the crutches to make her way around the house. Had to make sure she was quiet. So the search began. There was what looked like a very old break room to a workplace. Small, cluttered and unused in a long time. No one was there. Nor was anyone in the bathroom or two more storage rooms. But there was one place left. Rhythmi looked into what seemed like a disorganized, old laboratory.

She gasped and hid behind a wall. Heart pounded. Broke out into a cold sweat. What she saw last night was real. There really was a beast in this log cabin. And Rhythmi was trapped inside with it. With a gulp, the operator peeked around the corner.

The strange thing appeared to be asleep. Didn't move from its state but a slight breathing sound was heard. Eyes didn't glow, similar to how a computer monitor shut off for rest. Rhythmi quietly watched for a minute or two. She was confused how such a pokemon could have a monstrous appearance but no desire to bring harm to someone. Heck, replaying the conversation last night, Rhythmi realized this thing was smart. Super smart, really. Pokemon didn't normally speak at all (much less in an intellectual tone). And this pokemon knew how to treat wounds.

"What are you?" Rhythmi thought.

Another moment passed. It soon occurred to the operator she ran a risk that the creature would wake up and see her. So Rhythmi quietly hopped along. She went back to the room she first started in, staring out at the window. Could she possibly use these crutches to walk out of here? Maybe go back to Pueltown for help? At the very least, she could make it into an open area of Chroma Valley where someone could see her.

Hmmmm…didn't seem likely. Lots of rough terrain, rocks, bumps and things to easily break the crutches. Plus there was crashing into trees. Rhythmi wouldn't make it far. She'd be in trouble for sure. Couldn't possibly make it out of the woods enough to be found. And no way her friends would find this place. Rhythmi was stuck.

"_Feeling better?"_

The voice made Rhythmi jump. Behind her was the pokemon. Must've gotten up not that long ago.

"Er, yes. A little." Rhythmi stammered.

"_You found crutches?"_

"In one of the boxes. I hope you don't mind." Rhythmi said, trying to keep her voice even.

"_Of course not. I have no use for them._ _Are you hungry at all?" _

"Not really. But, um, thanks for offering." Rhythmi responded.

"_Let me know if you change your mind. Also, while you may like to walk around, I suggest you lay down so your body can heal properly."_

"Understood." Rhythmi said.

Using the crutches, Rhythmi clumsily hopped over back to the couch. The pokemon started to walk out of the room.

"Hey. Were you serious last night?" Rhythmi suddenly asked it. "About…about you not hurting me?"

"_I would never harm a lady. All I want is to help you."_

"Right. Got it." Rhythmi said, feeling awkward. "And, um, what should I call you? I-in case I need something, that is."

"_Issac. Call me Issac."_

The pokemon, now known as Issac, left the room once again. Rhythmi was left baffled. The smart-sounding voice and vocabulary. A human name; Issac. Also, what he (Rhythmi assumed it was a boy) said almost sounded like a gentleman. Issac said he wouldn't hurt her at all. Seemed to mean it. This was really weird. How could a creature like that act so human?

"I should still be careful." Rhythmi whispered to herself. "Who knows what might happen?"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Two days passed. The injuries were slowly healing themselves up but it was still some ways to go before complete recovery. There were spare changes of clothes available and the sink was running so staying clean wasn't an issue for the injured operator. Staying occupied? That was the challenge. Rhythmi spent most of her time sleeping on the couch or reading books she found in the boxes. Nothing interesting. Old fashioned stories or non-fiction. But it gave her something to do. And it helped her to forget about her friends, who Rhythmi worried about endlessly.

Issac checked up on her several times a day. He brought food (even if Rhythmi wasn't hungry so much) and made sure the girl was doing alright. Rhythmi was cautious at first. Eventually, she started to get used to Issac. More and more, she found he acted less like a pokemon or a monster and more like a person. Especially the third night Rhythmi stayed at the cabin.

"_Rhythmi? Rhythmi, wake up."_

With a start, Rhythmi had quickly sat up and tried to take in as much air as she could. Her forehead had some sweat. Heart was beating fast as if she ran a marathon. Issac was next to her, watching over her.

"W-what?" Rhythmi tried to ask.

"_You were having a nightmare. I thought it was best to wake you."_

Rhythmi blinked once. Twice.

"Um…thank you." Rhythmi quietly said.

"_You're welcome. Good night, Rhythmi."_

With that, the pokemon went into another room. Rhythmi got herself a glass of water before returning to the couch. Her head pounded with a million thoughts, not letting her sleep. Just moments ago, Rhythmi struggled through an intense nightmare. And it was Issac who got her out of it. The pokemon could've ignored her. But he didn't.

"Issac saved me again, in a way." Rhythmi thought. "The last two days, he helped take care of me. Got me what I needed and made sure I was ok. He could have ignored or even hurt me. Instead, Issac wants to help."

This was strange. Rhythmi was sure she'd be dead by now. And that the pokemon would be destructive or blood-thirsty as it was ugly. Rather, Rhythmi was being taken care of by something that doesn't resemble anything like its appearance. Confusing, yes, but a little reassuring. Maybe Issac wasn't what Rhythmi thought he'd be.

"I should try to talk to him. Maybe thank Issac for all that he's done. I'm going to be stuck here for a little bit. If my captor is going to be this nice to me, the least I can do is get to know him." Rhythmi mentally decided, drifting to back to dreamland.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The sun rose. Rhythmi woke up early to wash herself and some of the clothes she wore. Might as well. Not much to do in this place anyways. Throw on the last spare outfit before using the crutches to walk over to the break room. She got out breakfast, leaned against the wall and stared out the window at the scenery while she ate.

"_You're up earlier than usual."_

Rhythmi cringed a second but relaxed right after. How on earth could Issac be so quiet and sneak up on her like that?

"Yep. Had a good nights sleep." Rhythmi said.

"_Glad to hear it. Your injuries I assume are alright?"_

"They are." Rhythmi glanced at the arm and leg. "Thanks for asking. And thank you. For letting me stay here."

"_Of course. I never turn away those who need help."_

"Just like a pokemon ranger!" Rhythmi smiled, remembering that's what her friends would say.

"_Ranger? Are you a fan, perhaps?"_

"Sort of. I work as an operator at the Ranger Union." Rhythmi replied.

"_At the Union, hm? An honored position. You must be very good at your job."_

"I try my best." Rhythmi sheepishly sweatdropped.

Good! This was already turning into a pleasant conversation. Now to continue it and maybe find some things out about the pokemon.

"Issac? I'm curious about something." Rhythmi spoke up. "You're in that lab of yours a lot. What is it you do all day?"

"_Research, mostly."_

"Research? What kind?" Rhythmi asked.

"_Right now, I focus on genetics and pokemon strength. Also a few experiments concerning how a pokemon is able to transform its shape…"_

Issac went on to describe scientifically what it was he did and what sort of information he looked up. Though Rhythmi usually stayed away from discussions like this, she couldn't help but listen. With such dedication and rigor in the usually metallic voice, Issac made science interesting.

"_And I….um, I apologize. I must be boring you with this."_

"You're not!" Rhythmi shook her head. "You make it seem great! I don't understand a few things but the rest I get. And I'm interested to see what sort of results you come up with!"

"_Really…?"_

"Yeah. It's nice to find out something fascinating about you, Issac." Rhythmi said.

Silence. Stunned silence.

"…_.thank you."_

"You're welcome." Rhythmi grinned.

"_I, um…I'll be heading back to the lab. Let me know if you need anything."_

"Will do." Rhythmi responded.

Issac turned around and went back to the other room. Huh? How peculiar. During that entire exchange of words, Rhythmi had forgotten completely Issac was an unsightly monster. Not until he left did she remember. Issac seemed to be anything but a pokemon. Again, weird. But Rhythmi felt optimistic. Her stay in this cabin might not be so bad if she could befriend the pokemon. There could be more to Issac than she thought.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Another day passed by.

Now Issac was the one who was confused. Ever since that conversation, Rhythmi acted different. She wasn't startled when he came into the room. Not grossed out by his looks at all now. Actually, her mood was very pleasant. Cheerful, even. The girl struck up conversation every time he came to check on her. All sorts of topic choices ranging from science, hobbies or about other pokemon.

In one day, Issac learned that Rhythmi was an operator at the Ranger Union. She cared deeply for her friends there but was happy to meet new people. Her passions aside from being an operator were going for walks or reading. Which explained why she spent her time looking through books. Rhythmi was also shown to be bright and friendly. What a warm personality this blonde girl had.

Issac wasn't sure what to make of this at first. He complied with talking since it'd be rude to ignore her otherwise. Then, he realized he liked talking to Rhythmi. Chatting with her made Issac feel less lonely or closed up. He missed talking to someone.

Late night came to the lab. Issac typed away at the computer, working as hard as ever. He was focused deeply in the research….

Wait a moment. Issac turned his head to the back wall. Rhythmi hobbled in on her crutches, carrying a book.

"_Rhythmi? It's late. Shouldn't you be resting?"_

"Couldn't sleep." Rhythmi yawned. "I was feeling a little lonely. Would you mind if I stayed here for awhile?"

"_Er…I suppose that's ok."_

"Thanks Issac. And I promise not to disturb you from working." Rhythmi said.

Issac muttered something along the lines of 'it's fine', still dazed by what happened. Rhythmi sat down by one of the boxes and flipped the book open. The genius went back to his computer to work. Hard to concentrate with someone else nearby, at first. Issac learned to relax after some time.

It was almost peaceful for him. Issac heard Rhythmi occasionally yawn or turn a page over. Comforting. Even back during the human days, Issac never ran into this sort of thing at the lab. Always worked late nights. Either alone or with scientists who preferred to stay quiet out of exhaustion. Granted it was lonely but Issac usually threw himself into work to avoid feeling such. This was the first time he didn't feel alone. As though he had a fr-…

Issac shook his head. No. Don't think that. She's not going to think the same thing. Rhythmi's only passing time while the leg heals. Once her foot isn't broken, she'll leave this place for good and go back to her old life. Which meant back to being a mutant pokemon inside a dusty old shack.

After trying to get these thoughts to go away, Issac checked up on Rhythmi. The sight was enough to make him smile. Well, his face was frozen into a permanent teethy grin but on the inside, he smiled. Rhythmi was lying on the floor, fast asleep. Issac paused his research to come over. His arms managed to scoop the girl into his metal arms. Her head rested where his chest would be. Issac started to walk towards the room where the couch was.

"Issac…?"

Rhythmi was half awake, half asleep. Her eyes were barely open as they groggily looked at him. No fear in those eyes at all. Completely different than just a short time ago when they first met.

"_Yes Rhythmi?"_

"Thanks for being such a great friend." Rhythmi whispered.

Friend. That one word made Issac stop in his tracks. He stared down at the girl he carried in utter shock.

"_Friend? Me?"_

"Mhm." Rhythmi yawned, resting her head where Issac's chest would be. "You're smart, nice and you care about me. Even though I didn't like you at first, you still helped me when I needed it. Thank you. For….everything…"

Issac wasn't sure how to respond. No matter. Rhythmi was already asleep. The pokemon carefully walked over to the couch and gently set the operator down. His claws couldn't grab a blanket. All he could do was slide it over Rhythmi. Hopefully it'd be enough for her to stay warm. With that, back to the lab.

"_Friend…she said I was her friend…."_

Social life wasn't exactly something the scientist had. As a kid, he wasn't good with other people. And while he collaborated with other minds, Issac wasn't sure how to be friends with others. Of course things hadn't improved since the accident at Altru. All of a sudden, when Issac was sure he'd spent the rest of his life by himself, Rhythmi came into the picture. She became possibly his first friend. If not the first, then the only friend he had.

"_Rhythmi…"_

Research became impossible. Rhythmi had gotten under that metallic exterior and into his head. Issac couldn't help but think of her. He wanted to hear Rhythmi's voice and couldn't wait to see those eyes open again.

"_No wait stop! Why am I thinking these things? What's wrong with me?"_

Issac felt as though the room was spinning. Was he sick? Could be. Why would his thoughts suddenly circle around Rhythmi and only Rhythmi? This wasn't normal at all.

…still. It was really nice of Rhythmi to become friends with him. To put up staying in an old cabin in the middle of nowhere with a distorted being? No one else would do that. Rhythmi talked to him, gave him her full trust. She gave Issac's life just a tiny spot of light in the darkness that shrouded him. And he had to make it up to her. Somehow, someway. An idea started to form; one that Issac knew would work.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Issac! What's going on?"

"_Just a little surprise."_

Rhythmi woke up to find breakfast prepared already. She sensed Issac was in a good mood. Which wasn't far from the truth. He engaged in conversation and even made her chuckle once or twice. Then, when breakfast was finished, Issac was eager to show Rhythmi something. But she had to close her eyes for it.

"How am I supposed to know where I'm going if I can't see?" Rhythmi questioned jokingly as she walked through the cabin.

"_Trust me. I'll lead you in the right direction."_

Her hand felt the chill metal claw. Rhythmi held onto it as Issac helped her move. It was so sweet of him to do this. To even care about the broken foot's mobility too? Who would've thought Issac would turn out to be a really great friend underneath the unusual surface?

"_Wait a moment."_

Issac let her go. Rhythmi heard a door open before she was nudged through the opening.

"_You can open your eyes now."_

The blonde girl did as asked. She gasped at the sight that laid before her. A gigantic room with shelves stacked with books! A vast window let the light hit the room just right, making a perfect glow on the mahogany floors. An old beanbag chair rested in the center of the room with a lantern beside it. No boxes filled with junk or dust. It was a clean, open library.

"Issac…" Rhythmi whispered.

"_Do you like it?" _

"I love it!" Rhythmi's eyes grew moist.

"_Then it's yours."_

"Really?" Rhythmi whirled around to face Issac. "Don't you mind?"

"_I cleared some of my research materials to make room. Besides, you deserve a proper place to read and relax. The room's only accessed through my lab so I hope you don't mind passing through to get here."_

"Oh Issac!" Rhythmi, excited, wrapped her arms around him in a bug hug. "Thank you! A thousand times thank you! I love it!"

"_I…er…um…y-you're welcome. If you'll excuse me, I have to take care of something."_

Rhythmi smiled and started to scan the shelves for a book to read. Issac left the room. If he had a human face, it'd be glowing with emotion. Yes! It worked! The gift actually worked! Issac rarely used the library and he hoped that Rhythmi might like it. And she'd appreciate it more if it was cleaned up a touch.

This sort of thrill was something Issac only felt during high-risk experiments. It was sort of the same. Huge risk of failure but with what could be stupendous results. Issac felt proud of himself for going through what felt like the greatest experiment yet. All that hard work was worth seeing Rhythmi's reaction. The way that smile curved and how the eyes sparkled with wonder. But what made Issac really melt was the hug. It was like a jolt of static electricity when she suddenly hugged him. When she let go, Issac found himself wishing that moment hadn't ended.

Issac suddenly found his heart pounding against his chest. His head felt like it was overheating. Maybe he was getting a little sick. Then again, why care? Issac was feeling on top of the world at that moment. Best he's felt in ages. And it was helping him push through research. While his primary concern was becoming human again, a part of him wanted to impress Rhythmi again.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

It had been a week since Rhythmi arrived. Her foot was nearly better. A little sore but no more crutches. She had limped a little and tried to avoid walking when she could. Not a problem. Most of her time was either spent talking to Issac or reading in the library. The library held many interesting books which Rhythmi quickly tackled on. She loved reading the many stories available. Though not as much as she liked talking to Issac.

Rhythmi almost never saw him as a monster or a pokemon. To her, Issac was her friend. A best friend that, despite the short time together, grew to be very close to her. He seemed to understand her on a deep, emotional level. They had a connection unlike Kate or Keith's. Rhythmi always smiled and felt happy when she was with Issac.

One sunny afternoon, Rhythmi had tried to track down her operators uniform. She misplaced it while she skimmed through the story 'Rise of Darkrai'. Only found the skirt and tank top. Still needed the jacket. Thus continued the search for jacket. None of the boxes in the room with the couch had it. So that left the library. Though Issac cleared most of it, there were three boxes in a corner leftover.

No jacket but there was something else that captured Rhythmi's interest. An old record player. One that was in good condition. It held a classical record from the looks of it and may be able to be played. What was under the record player really sparked curiosity.

A dress. A long, dark emerald green dress with spaghetti straps. Around the waist was a light beige sash. The dress material was as soft as silk and cool to the touch. It was the most wonderful dress Rhythmi had ever seen.

"_Rhythmi? Are you in here?"_

Issac entered the room.

"_Did I forget to move those boxes? I'm sorry."_

"That's alright. I don't mind." Rhythmi told him. "I was looking for my operator jacket."

"_I found it earlier. Set it on the couch for you. What is it you found?"_

Rhythmi held up the dress for him to see. Issac looked it over.

"_Interesting dress."_

"I think so too." Rhythmi said. "So gorgeous."

"_Why not try it on?"_

Rhythmi blinked. "What, me? I-I don't think I'd look good in it."

"_I think you'd look nice in that dress. There's no harm in trying it on. If you don't like it, you can change back into your old clothes and we can pack the dress away again."_

"Well…" Rhythmi ran her fingers across the dress. "I guess it'd be cool to wear it. Even for a moment."

"_I'll give you a moment to change."_

Issac quickly left Rhythmi alone in the library. She didn't waste time. Shed her outfit for the green dress. Not hard to slip on, actually. It was the perfect size! And it felt super comfy. Like the dress had been made specifically for her. Too bad there wasn't a mirror. Rhythmi hoped she looked a little pretty.

After a minute passed, Issac came back in the room. He stopped and stared at Rhythmi.

"_Rhythmi…you look beautiful."_

"Really? M-me?" Rhythmi blushed.

"_Yes. That dress makes you look like a princess."_

"T-thanks Issac…" Rhythmi shyly responded, embarrassed by the compliment.

Issac glanced at the record machine. Then focused back on Rhythmi.

"_You know…um…how about a dance?"_

"You and me? Dance?" Rhythmi questioned, not expecting that.

"_That record player still works, most likely. It can provide music while we move across the spacious floors here in the library."_

"Do you know how to ballroom dance?"

Rhythmi was skeptical that a pokemon in solitude knew anything about dancing. Though it knew science, mathematics, literature and such. Shouldn't come as a big surprise.

"_A little. I'll use what I can from memory and we'll substitute the rest with our own moves."_

"You'd dance with a girl who has a hurt foot?" Rhythmi asked.

"_Only if you'd dance with a pokemon with two bad feet."_

How very true. Rhythmi was hesitant at first. Yet, how could she say no to this simple request? Might be fun. The offer was accepted. Issac moved to the center of the room as Rhythmi set up the record player. Once a slow melody filled the air, she joined him. Her hands held Issac's claws. Eyes made contact with the other pair. With a deep breath, they began to dance.

It was awkward at first. Rhythmi's broken foot and Issac's pokemon feet made things tricky. Took time to get things moving. When they finally did, they glided across the room with smooth dancing the world has never seen before. Rhythmi hadn't had any experience with dancing. She found herself carried away in the moment and twirled around. What a rush! To be dancing like this made Rhythmi feel ecstatic.

Her eyes occasionally drifted to make sure she didn't bump into anything. Mostly, Rhythmi continued to look at her dance partner. Issac seemed to be enjoying this as much as she did. Hard to tell what with a frozen face. Though something unusual happened with the eyes. They were red and held a slight glow to them. However, it was as if there was something beneath those eyes. Like the true eyes, the true windows to the soul, were hidden deep within. As though something more was inside the body of this pokemon.

Issac, meanwhile, was thinking about Rhythmi in return. That request to dance with her? That came from nowhere. But as soon as he said it, Issac found himself desperately wishing to dance with Rhythmi. More than anything. This never happened before. Heck, Issac hated dancing. Only knew it because his family took part in fancy balls and galas often. Why did he suddenly want to dance now? And with his friend?

Rhythmi. She certainly looked stunning in that dress. Like an angel of sorts. Issac admitted Rhythmi was an attractive young woman before. With that dress on, her beauty shined brighter. Issac found his face overheating and heart pulsing faster again. Even more than usual. Even now it still bugged him. Couldn't be an illness, judging on symptoms and timing. So what was wrong?

The genius studied Rhythmi's face. Soft skin with a slight pink blush that made her look like a porcelain doll. A smile that appeared to be carved on a delicate face. Those eyes…they were like jewels that glimmered in the sunlight. No one else had the same eyes Rhythmi did. They could make Issac instantly forget anything about experiments or researching science stuff. All that mattered right then and there was this dance. To hold a beautiful woman in his grotesque arms; to be swept up in the music.

"_Rhythmi, I lo-…"_

Issac's words froze before the slipped out. Was he about to say…?

"Did you say something Issac?" Rhythmi asked.

"_Er…I…l-like dancing with you."_

"Aw, thank you! I like dancing with you too." Rhythmi cheerfully said.

Issac's mind raced. He almost said 'I love you' to Rhythmi. To his best friend. How could he? What was going on? This couldn't be love. Love didn't happen too young or too quickly. And certainly not when you're different species. It just wasn't possible.

…at least, so Issac thought.

He dared to look back at Rhythmi again. Butterflies tumbled in his stomach just seeing that cute smile and eyes sparkle in the sunlight. Made him lose his breath. Rhythmi truly looked stunning. She was unlike any other girl in the world. Only one girl with golden locks, emerald eyes and a sweet smile like that. This was her. Issac knew the truth. He really had fallen in love with Rhythmi.

The song ended. As did the special dance. Issac felt disappointed when Rhythmi's hands slowly let go from Issacs claws. Such a special moment. If only it lasted forever.

"Thanks Issac." Rhythmi spoke up. "It was actually really fun dancing with you."

"_As with you too."_

Rhythmi looked out the window. "Evening already? I better change out of this dress and fix myself some dinner."

Issac left the girl to do as such, going into his lab once more. Though he should be working, the genius couldn't. Instead the memory of the dance played over and over again. He never felt this way about anyone. Issac wanted to hold Rhythmi close and stare into her eyes forever. Perhaps even steal a kiss from her. But it wasn't possible to do so. Not when he had no lips. Or a human form. Besides, Rhythmi would never feel the same way he did.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Hours passed. Rhythmi ate, read for a little while and talked to Issac. That dance left her in a very chipper mood. A week ago, she had been terrified for her life. Feared that she'd never live another day. Now she saw that Issac wasn't at all what she imagined. So sweet and kind with a very gentle nature. Guess you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

It was the next morning when Rhythmi got out of bed and noticed something.

"My foot! It's better!" She said.

A few hops, twirls and steps proved it to be true. Maybe a little pressure made it slightly sore but the once broken foot healed itself back to normal. Could be stronger too.

"_You're in a good mood this morning."_

Issac stood in the doorway.

"Issac! My foot doesn't hurt anymore!" Rhythmi told him.

"_So I see."_

Was there a chuckle in that voice? Hard to tell.

"Wait…" Rhythmi paused. "If I'm better, then does that mean…?"

Issac stared at her. He got the message. His head turned away, the red eyed gaze looking faraway.

"_Yes. I-it means….you're free to leave. I won't keep you here any longer."_

Was Issac not happy about this? Did he not want Rhythmi to go? True, Issac had to have been lonely for awhile. He didn't have any other friends or family. Not easy to find any when you don't fit in. Losing Rhythmi meant losing a friend. It meant going back into solitude. Rhythmi walked over to the purple pokemon.

"I have to leave. My friends are probably worried about me. And I can't give up my dream of being an operator." Rhythmi quietly said to him.

"_I understand."_

"But it doesn't mean that we won't see each other. I can come back here to visit you sometimes. Rhythmi went on.

"_Do…do you mean that?"_

"Of course I do." Rhythmi smiled sadly. "You're my best friend. I care about you."

"_I care about you too."_

Rhythmi hugged the pokemon for a long time. It was getting too emotional after time so she let go, turned around and gathered up her uniform. Rhythmi changed in the bathroom back to her usual attire as an operator. Entering the room, Issac was gone. Had to be too disappointed about the departure to send her off. No matter. It'd be easier to leave if Rhythmi didn't see him.

With a deep breath, Rhythmi turned the door handle and left the cabin. Fresh air brushed through her hair and tickled the skin. Felt nice to be outside again. Carefully, shutting the cabin door closed, Rhythmi began her walk through the trees of the forest. She could vaguely see the tall cliffs above the treetops so they were used as a guide. The blonde girl navigated herself through the winding trails and searched for the way out.

"We've been looking for a week. Y-you don't think she's…?"

"Rhyth is tough. She can't go down easily."

Voices? Yeah there were! Familiar ones! Rhythmi knew those voices!

"Kate! Keith!" Rhythmi called out.

"Rhythmi?"

"Rhythmi is that you?"

"Guys!" Rhythmi broke into a run. "I'm here!"

"Rhythmi!"

At the end of the forest were two rangers running to meet the operator. Rhythmi collided into them, wrapped inside a hug between friends. Laughing, a few tears and a lot of relief. Rhythmi met her two friends once more and walked with them through the valley, on their way to the Union once more.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

She was gone.

Rhythmi was really gone.

Issac stared out the room of what was once the kitchen. He watched the beautiful girl disappear through the trees. Before becoming a pokemon, Issac had skimmed through several novels and movies with some romances. Never understood what it was. Couldn't comprehend why a man would feel so horrible when the object of his affections left. Love was a strange subject he couldn't begin to comprehend.

That was until Rhythmi fell into his life. When Rhythmi brought light back and gave him a reason to live. Even if he was a pokemon, he could still feel somewhat human around Rhythmi. And she saw him as much more than a beastly creature. She cared. Rhythmi was a elegant, sweetheart of a girl who Issac fell in love with. True, it happened quickly. But it was possible that love worked in mysterious ways.

Secretly, Issac kind of wished Rhythmi's foot didn't recover. A part of him wanted her to stay with him forever. To continue their friendship and let his feelings blossom further.

"_I couldn't do that…I-I can't keep Rhythmi here as a prisoner…"_

A normal monster pokemon would have, perhaps. Issac wasn't that. Even if he had the body of one, he'd still regain his sense of humanity. Thus, he let Rhythmi go. He gave Rhythmi her freedom as promised. She could go be an operator at the Union again with all the support of her best friends. Rhythmi had a life. She deserved to go live it.

Issac wearily walked back to the lab. His heart had been filled with joy and happiness not long ago. Once Rhythmi left, it shattered. All that was there was a dark void of pain and sorrow. If this body could cry, it would. Felt like it was hopeless. There wasn't a reason to go on.

And maybe there really wasn't. Issac pulled up his research on a computer. A countdown clock came, signaling how much time he had until he'd permanently become a monster. Time was running out faster than he thought. At midnight tonight, his fate was sealed. No way a cure could be found in time. Issac lost everything. His life, his humanity…the one he loved….

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"I wonder if Issac is doing ok…"

It was a question that came up in Rhythmi's mind all day long. With a sigh, she rested her head on her hand and stared at the operators monitor before her. Granted, she was happy to be back. Welcomed with open arms. The Union had been searching for her the entire time she went missing and was worried so it felt good to be appreciated. Rhythmi told them she was taken to a cabin for injury healing and had no way to contact them. Didn't mention that her 'friend' was a strange pokemon of sorts.

Rhythmi was thinking of when she could go visit. Was tomorrow too soon? She really wanted to see him again. To assure him everythings going great and to continue spending time with him. Issac always had the most interesting things to say.

"So Dim Sun's in Chroma Valley apparently."

"Again? Seriously?"

Dim Sun? Chroma Valley? Rhythmi wheeled her chair around to hear Kate and Keith chatting.

"For the past week, they've been inspecting the place. What is up with them?" Keith asked, a bit annoyed.

"I heard they're searching for something." Kate said.

"Something valuble?"

Kate shrugged. "No clue. All we know is they referred to it as 'that weird thing'. Said to keep an eye out for something purple."

That caught Rhythmi's attention. Weird thing? Purple? Not many weird, purple things in Chroma Valley. Was Dim Sun looking for Issac?

Rhythmi didn't care if it was too early to visit. She had to make sure Issac was ok and that he'd be able to defend himself against Dim Sun. They weren't exactly nice. Actually, nowhere close. Those guys were brutal in the kidnappings and attempts to take over Almia. Rhythmi excused herself from work and left the Union. Evening came which meant Dim Sun may have trouble getting through the valley. Still, better safe than sorry.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Hours passed. Not many remained.

Issac had been depressed for the entire day. It hurt to know that he'd never be human again. Though it hurt more than he couldn't be with Rhythmi. Sure she promised to visit. But who could blame her if she forgot about him? Besides, Rhythmi deserved better. Someone who'd make her happy and treat her well.

Noises came from outside. They grew louder quickly. Sounded like people and pokemon on a hunt for something. No one ever entered this part of Chroma Valley. Issac went from the lab to one of the windows for a better look.

"_Dim Sun!"_

No doubt about it. That was them. And they were searching for Issac. If Dim Sun had the intent to merely kill Issac or lock him up, he wouldn't have cared. Why bother? No reason to live anymore. But Issac knew Dim Sun needed the genius alive. They had to; how else would they use a living weapon of mass destruction?

What to do? If Issac ran from the house, they'd spot him. Staying inside was risky but it could work. There was the chance the cabin wouldn't be spotted. Issac could hide in the shadows should they barge in. If lucky, they'd…

KABOOOOOOM!

An explosion shattered the house in tremors and fire. Issac jumped, whirling his metal head around to the ear-deafening noise. The entire left side had been blown away by a strong series of blasts. From the fire, a figure walked in. Dark suit, dark shades, dark hair in a man-ponytail and a twisted smile as dark as his soul.

"_President Blake Hall…"_

Blake slowly clapped his hands. "Bravo. You do remember me."

There were grunts and admins by him. And, most likely, surrounding the house.

"_No Sinis Trio or Mr. Kincaid?" _

"They have other things to attend to. Besides, why not drop a visit on Altru's smartest scientist? The one who made himself into what will be our master plan for taking over the world." Blake replied.

"_Never. I'm doing no such thing."_

"Still feel that way?" Blake raised an eyebrow. "You don't have a choice. Dim Sun! Seize him!"

Miniremos were whipped out in an instant. Made Issac sick to his stomach to see his own invention turned evil. Those were supposed to help pokemon, not control them! No matter. What Issac had to do was escape. Make sure these sickos didn't get him. Issac hadn't used pokemon attacks much since becoming this way. No choice but to use them now. He launched a slash attack on a number of grunts and their miniremos. Cleared the way to make an escape.

"GET HIM!" Blake ordered as Issac took off running.

Escaping wasn't as easy as anticipated. Running in a heavy, metal body was hard. It was like a gigantic suit of armor weighed him down. Unlike armor, you couldn't take it off. Issac was stuck with what he had. Which meant doing whatever he could and hoping for the best as he ran through the trees.

Dim Sun was scrambling after him. Catching up way too fast. Issac headed in the direction away from the forest. If he could just get into the valley, then he'd duck into the many hiding spots. With the sun nearly gone, it'd be way too dark to for those grunts to see. No way they'd track him down. Issac could rest for the night and, in the morning, find somewhere new to take cover.

"There he is!"

Oh no! Issac burst from the trees and…

KABAM!

A slam attack smashed right into him, thanks to a mightyena. Issac was sent flying several feet. He tumbled on the ground, crashing with a rough landing. His body was stunned temporarily. Which gave Dim Sun the advantage they needed. Grunts chained his entire body tightly, making sure he couldn't get away again. Blake chuckled deviously as he approached.

"You think I'd let the key to my future slip away like that?" Blake spoke.

Issac squirmed in the chain bundle he was in. Bound too much. Couldn't move arms, legs or anything. They captured him.

"I made you, Issac. That means I give you purpose and control your very fate." Blake told him. "What I want, I get. And I want you to destroy Almia. Eliminate those perky rangers so the world is in my clutches."

"_You didn't make me!"_

"Oh but I did." Blake smirked. "That incident in the lab? My doing."

Issac froze.

"_What…?"_

"You had your calculations and scientific notes accurate. However, my idea was to create a pokemon that would fit my needs and do as I command. Thus, I slipped in without notice and tampered with the machines. I'm the one who made those 'errors'." Blake explained.

"_T…t-those scientists who died…and my mutation…it was all __your__ doing?" _

Blake's smirk grew evil. "Indeed. And I got something better than expected. A monstrous pokemon with the intelligence exceeding that of a human."

Issac was in shock. He knew he had been deceived. This? It was worse than ever imagined.

"ISSAC!"

That voice…it couldn't be. But it was!

"_Rhythmi!"_

Rhythmi ran onto the scene. She stood in front of Issac, arms stretched out in a defensive position. Her skin trembled very slightly. Scared but refusing to back down. Issac couldn't believe it. She actually came back. And she was helping him against Dim Sun.

"Oh? You're the operator who came here days ago." Blake said. "I overheard some of the grunts talking about you."

"Leave him alone!" Rhythmi snapped.

The Dim Sun members and Blake roared with laughter at this.

"_Rhythmi? What are you doing here? This is too dangerous."_

"I don't care." Rhythmi whispered to her friend. "I can't let them hurt you!"

"_Rhythmi, you can't be here. They're bad people. And they won't go easy on you just because you're a girl. Please, for your own safety, you have to go."_

Rhythmi shook her head. She was way too determined to back down.

"So miss operator, Rhythmi is it?" Blake cleared his throat. "When did you and Issac become such good friends?"

Rhythmi stayed silent.

"Hard to believe a lass such as yourself would give someone like Issac a chance. He isn't exactly the best looking, now is he?" Blake continued.

The president took a step forward. Rhythmi stiffened.

"It's a shame a girl of your caliber had to discover him." Blake told her. "I'm afraid you'll have to captured as well."

"Captured?!" Rhythmi gasped.

Blake took another few steps forward. He grabbed Rhythmi's wrist and pulled her close to him. Issac felt something stir from within him. The sight of Blake and Rhythmi like that made the pokemon growl angrily.

"You may have a few uses. Could use you as a servant or force you to become a grunt. Amazing thing, electric collars." Blake explained.

A rage was starting to boil within Issac.

"Or…" Blake pondered something for a moment. "Yes, I think I may have some of that formula left. I could make a second mutant pokemon from you. Another weapon of mass destruction for me to use in my global take-over."

Rhythmi? Transformed into a creature like Issac was? No….NO! It was bad enough Issac had to suffer through this. He couldn't let Rhythmi endure the same thing! Issac wrestled through the chains.

"Though I must admit you are very pretty." Blake looked Rhythmi over. "Quite pretty indeed."

The operator gulped as a shiver ran through her. The president seemed to take notice. A finger was smoothing her chin as a sly grin crossed his face.

"I could certainly have some fun with you before we begin the experimentations again." Blake remarked.

Rhythmi turned ghost-white. Eyes wide with fear with a small whimper escaping her throat. Seeing how scared Rhythmi was sent Issac over the edge.

"_ENOUGH!"_

Issac summoned every ounce of strength he had and broke the chains. It startled the grunts, who stood back. Issac stepped forward, in a stance ready to attack. Blake looked his way, his black eyes peering over the edge of the gunglasses.

"_This is between you and me, Blake. Leave her alone."_

"My, my. Since when has shy and quiet Issac been so assertive?" Blake coldly mocked. "Very well then. How about a battle?"

Blake shoved Rhythmi to the ground. His body was surrounded by a thick aura that was nothing but black. Sunglasses were removed to show the eyes were nothing but black as well. From his hands, two dark energy spheres were generated.

"I have the power of darkness on my side. I'm as powerful as darkrai itself. You'll never defeat me." Blake challenged.

Issac quickly looked over at Rhythmi. There was his motivation. He never believed in fighting because there was no reason for it. Right now, he had a reason. To protect someone he loved. It was more than enough.

"We'll see about that."

Blake fired the first attack. Issac dodged and struck back with a slash attack. The battle began. Dim Sun grunts scurried away to avoid getting hit by darkness or strikes that went around. Only Rhythmi stuck by. She watched the battle ensue throughout the valley. There were no limits to the battlers. They attacked anywhere, everywhere and at any time. So much chasing and jumping over ledges.

After time, Issac figured out the cannon on his back. Long-distance attacks like zap cannon or techno blast were great when Blake was higher or farther. Then Issac could strike with slashes or x-scissor at close combat. Of course that when he wasn't dodging energy spheres, ray beams or fist strikes. Blake was a strong opponent. All that darkness in him combined with darkrai's energy made him tough.

The battle was continued up the side of the mountainous terrain. Higher and higher on unstable cliffs. Thunder echoed. Rain started to pour down by the gallons. Made things tougher. Slippery rocks, vision obscured…still, Issac wouldn't quit. He had to press on.

"Were you in love with her, Issac?" Blake shouted over the howling wind. "Did you honestly think Rhythmi would want to be with a hideous beast like you?"

Issac aimed a techno blast right at the man. Damn. Only phased him a little. But Blake's shadow ball didn't. Issac was struck hard with that particular attack. Slammed him into the cliff wall. The Dim Sun boss waltzed right over, ready to finish him off.

"It's over! You both are mine!" Blake roared.

"_NEVER!"_

Issac used metal sound, causing Blake to become crippled by the horrible noise. This opportunity was perfect. It let Issac use a slash attack to toss Blake around brutally. When Issac locked on, he readied a hyper beam to end the battle and the cruel man's life.

….but how could he?

No. Killing just wasn't in Issac. It was going too far. Even an evil man like Blake shouldn't be murdered. After all that was said and done, Issac couldn't bear the thought of ending someone else's life.

Issac stopped charging the hyper beam. He glared at Blake, who was dizzy and weak from their battle.

"_Don't you ever come near me or Rhythmi again."_

"Issac!"

The genius turned. On a high mountain, where the entrance to the Chroma Ruins were, was Rhythmi. Issac felt his wrath melt away into love seeing her once again.

"_Rhythmi!"_

Issac jumped from his cliff to the side of the mountain. His pokemon claws scaled the surface, getting to the top. Rhythmi held out her hand which Issac took. She helped him to the top.

"_Rhythmi, you came back."_

Rhythmi smiled, her green eyes wet from tears and rain. Issac held her close to him, smoothing the side of her face lightly with a claw. His heart felt complete again.

SLAM!

A tackle attack broke the moment. Rhythmi fell to the ground while Issac was thrashed onto the ground. Blake wasn't done. He was weak and his mind went way past the dark side. But not done.

"I'll show you!" The man bellowed. "You won't be able to survive the Flames of Darkness!"

From Blake's hands shot out a fire attack five times stronger than flamethrower. The fire wasn't orange; it was nothing but the darkest black found in the shadows. Rain couldn't extinguish it. Blake fired the attack on Issac's metal exterior, making the genius scream. Pure agony! It was intense! Issac's typing was part bug, part metal which made this sinister torture. It was a slow, painful death to be sentenced to.

Rhythmi was tried to stand, to help, but fell. A burst of pain shot out from her foot. During the collision, she must've hurt it again. Wasn't supposed to be rough after just injuring it. The poor girl screamed as she watched the horror unfurling before her. There was nothing she could do as the villain was killing her best friend.

KERPOW!

A lightning bolt struck in front of Blake. The Dim Sun boss stumbled back, surprised by the sudden action. He didn't see that he was on the edge of the mountain. Nor did he hear the crumbling of the loose, slippery rocks. Rhythmi watched stunned as a rock slide started to take place, dragging Blake down with it. She heard his voice echo into the night. Then nothing.

"_Nnngg…"_

"Issac!"

Rhythmi crawled to where Issac layed. She inspected the damage. Issac's body was burnt horribly, with smoke rising from him. He was charred black in many places or even melted extensively. The cannon was cracked, not functioning. Issac's body seemed to get harder and colder than before. More so than metal should be. Breathing sounded to be a struggle. And the eyes were flickering between darkness and a small glimmer of light.

"Issac…" Rhythmi's voice was barely a whisper.

"_Rhyth…mi…"_

"Oh Issac, I'm so sorry. I should've been here sooner." Rhythmi apologized.

"_No. N-not your fault. At least…at least I get to see you…one last time…"_

"What? Issac, no! You'll be fine! I'll make you better again!" Rhythmi insisted. "You'll see."

"_I have you here…the most beautiful girl I've ever met. If I…If I have to die, then I'll die happy."_

Rhythmi's breath caught at the word beautiful.

"_I've always…thought you were beautiful. And smart. Cheerful. A wonderful girl. It's why I love you."_

"Issac…" Rhythmi's voice shook, full of emotion.

The genius twitched. His body went limp, then started to harden. Issac's eyes lost their light, fading into darkness. Just like that, he was gone.

"Issac? ISSAC?" Rhythmi shook his arm. "No! Don't go! Please! I love you! Issac…"

No use. He couldn't come back. Issac died. And he did it for Rhythmi's sake. All for love. Rhythmi burst into tears, feeling the horrible loss crush her spirit. She really had fallen in love with Issac. He was a strange looking pokemon but beneath those looks was a wonderful friend who truly cared about her. Issac was kind, bright and incredibly sweet. How could Rhythmi _not_ love him?

Her hand stroked the side of his pokemon face. Head was slowly leaning forward.

"I'll always love you, Issac." Rhythmi murmured. "Even if you're ugly."

With that, she planted a tender kiss on Issac's head. Her watch struck midnight but she didn't notice. Rhythmi continued to sob over the body that belonged to her love.

Then something started to occur.

The spot where Rhythmi kissed Issac's head started to glow white. A shiny white with rainbow sparkles. The white started to spread from the head, throughout the body. It's intense shine caught Rhythmi's eyes. She watched, unsure what was happening. Issac's entire body turned this dazzling white, sparkly hue. And it seemed to do much more. The light was turning Issac's body into another material; almost like glass.

Then there was a crack in the glass. It grew larger as more cracks and splints started to appear. The glass was quickly breaking. Within a moment, the entire body was cracked glass. And it shattered into a million pieces. Rhythmi saw the glass pieces magically turn into white dust with rainbow sparkles. The dust fell onto the ground and on top of a figure that had laid beneath the glass. Rhythmi waved off the dust to see what was there.

A human guy. Someone her age who wore a white labcoat and basic outfit. He had soft light skin and a light blonde mushroom hair cut. Rhythmi couldn't help but think how cute he was.

"Mmnnnn."

There was a small moan that rumbled in his throat. Hands twitched slightly and the eyes were squeezed tight. The boy took a deep breath. He started to sit up as he slowly opened his eyes. Rhythmi was amazed to find he had the most luminous blue eyes she had ever seen.

"What the…?" The boy stared down at his hands.

He gasped. Eyes were wide with surprise. The boy felt his face and looked down at his body. A smile stretched across his face. And then, he faced Rhythmi. Rhythmi wasn't sure how to react. One minute, Issac's body rested there and now it was replaced by an adorable guy.

"Rhythmi!"

"W-who…?" Rhythmi tried to question.

"Rhythmi, it's me." The boy whispered.

Rhythmi stared in disbelief. Her hand cautiously reached out to touch the boy's face, caressing the cheek. The boy gave her a gentle expression. That alone sent Rhythmi's mind into flashbacks. Dancing, conversing, reading…everything.

"I-Issac?" Rhythmi realized.

"Yes." The boy shyly smiled.

"Issac! Y-you're alive! And you're human!" Rhythmi exclaimed.

Tears of joy streamed down her face. She couldn't help but hug Issac, wrapped up in his warmth. They kissed and embraced, staring into one another's eyes with blushing faces. After some time, Issac stood up on his feet. Rhythmi wasn't able to walk since her foot was hurt again. Issac didn't mind. He surprised the girl yet again by sweeping her up into his arms, carrying her down the mountain.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Dim Sun was over. Blake Hall supposedly disappeared for days before his body was found in a ravine. With the leader dead, the organization easily fell apart. Almia was sent back into peace once again. Altru, which Blake ran as well, didn't crumble from lack of leadership. Issac was offered the chance to be president but he declined. Instead, he chose a scientist friend of his who was responsible and would lead the company to a better future.

Issac managed to bring Rhythmi to the Union safely, though both were soaking wet. Rhythmi explained that he was the one to save her both then and a week before (deciding to omit the whole 'pokemon mutation' thing). With that, Issac was welcomed by Rhythmi's friends happily as well as others within the Union. Professor Hastings recognized Issac's talent right away. So the genius came to work at the Union.

"Issac? It's almost noon!"

Issac looked up from his project to see Rhythmi standing by the door. A grin came on the moment he laid eyes on her. Couldn't help it. The brainiac researcher was still very much in love with the girl.

"Already, hm? I'll be with you in just a sec." Issac said.

He packed away the tools and put aside the invention. An aqualung, actually. No more would rangers have to use scuba gear or avoid water missions. Converting water to air made underwater breathing possible. As a result, more missions & quests to accomplish and less trouble ahead.

Issac finished up and met Rhythmi at the door. They gave each other a kiss before starting to walk through the Union together, hand in hand.

"You want to eat in the cafeteria or outside?" Rhythmi asked.

"Outside. I heard Kate say a place opened up in Pueltown." Issac answered.

Being a human meant stepping out into the world without anyone fearing him. Issac missed simple strolls into town. He wanted to go out whenever he could. With his new girlfriend, of course.

"I heard Keith offer to take Kate there sometime. He insists they're just friends." Rhythmi smirked. "I don't think so."

Issac chuckled. "They seem to be a good pair. Love will work its way into their lives sooner or later."

"But not like us, sweetie." Rhythmi sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"No. I don't think anyone could have the same love we do, darling." Issac murmured.

They came to the front doors of the Union. Opening those doors came breeze of fresh air and sunshine. Issac relaxed. Another wonderful day ahead. One filled with special moments to enjoy with the woman he loved.

_Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly, your wholeness when you are broken, your innocence when you feel guilty, and your purpose when you are confused…_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Ok that took WAY longer to write than I expected.**

**Chia: You and your writing… *rolls eyes***

**Hope you readers enjoy! I'll be writing like crazy and updating as soon as I can! **

**Chia: And Monsters Inc?**

***anime falls over* Hey! Don't you have to be mean somewhere else?**

**Chia: Eh. Not until six.**


	12. Sick Day

**Chia: HAI GUYS! I'm here on Sky's behalf! She sends you this note!**

_To: My Awesome Readers_

_Sorry about lack of updates lately. And though I wish I could say I'm back on track, I'm not quite there yet. I've been stuck with writers block. One of the most severe cases ever. And unlike normal blocks I've got, it's affected my fanfic writing. Even worse, I'm sick. Nothing too serious though it's knocked me down quite a bit. Energy's drained while I try to rest up and recover. _

_Again, I'm really sorry for making you wait for updates. Hopefully you can hold off a little longer while I try to get back up and running. Can't have a sick writer get worse, right? Granted, I'll still write more chapters and keep you guys entertained! Just not at a fast pace (some stories getting more updates than other). Besides, summer's coming up. Summer means more writing time and more updates! _

_Thank you for understanding! Your author, Sky_

**Chia: SICK?! EWWWW! *drops letter* I bet the letter's full of germs! *tries to spray air with disinfectant* You readers read, review and enjoy. I gotta get this place clean!**

_P.S. This next chapter is an original piece and not crossover. Hope you like it!_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Sun shined down on Vientown, a peaceful town with happy people & pokemon. Sure Dim Sun was a little concerning. But right now, it was slow. Either their attacks on Almia weren't that many or top rangers got a handle on things. So rangers in the Vientown could focus on small quests for the time being. At times, it quiet enough for a stroll outside and visiting neighbors.

Luana got ready as he normally did. Brush her dark hair, dress into ranger uniform and start the new day ahead. She was in a good mood. Well, no different than usual anyways. The girl always had her spirits high and did what she did best; being the base's cheerleader. Luana was actually excited to go on patrol today and see the sights.

Things were…quiet. She went to the main base to greet everyone but something was missing from the scene. The operator, Tawny, was at her desk chatting on the phone. Barlow munched on a piece of toast while Elaine dismantled an old AC conditioner. No Kate and Keith since their promotion. Though Luana did know what was wrong right away.

"Hey, where's Crawford?" The ranger asked.

"Oh you didn't hear?" Elaine blinked. "He's sick."

Crawford? She was sick? Luana instantly felt a sting of concern for her partner.

"Poor guy. Jokester's really got it rough." Tawny sighed.

"I know, right? As if the high fever and chills wasn't bad enough, he's got a strong case of laryngitis. Can't whisper a single word." Elaine said sadly.

The fever and chills sounded really bad. But Luana was hit hard by the fact Crawford got laryngitis. No talking, no laughing. A funny guy like him shouldn't go through something like that.

"Craeford's got the day off so she can rest up. Luana and I will go on quests today." Barlow told the base. "Elaine, keep an eye on Crawford but could you install that new AC soon? I heard it'll get warm soon. And the operators charging competitions coming up, Tawny. Can't let that new girl Rhythmi beat you."

"She won't." Tawny confidently grinned. "I'll train double to ensure victory!"

"Alright team! Let's move out!" Barlow called.

Everyone took to their places. Barlow decided he'd cover Pueltown, Altru Park and part of Vien Forest. Luana agreed she'd patrol around town, Chicole Village, part of Vien Forest and any other small areas that needed tending too. Before leaving base, the ranger took a quick glance at the back door. Elaine disappeared, going to see how Luana was doing. With a sad look on her face, Luana went out to patrol.

"I can't believe Crawford got sick." Luanathought, walking about. "Crawford…the base's own comedian. He should be here, right beside me. Making all sorts of groan-inducing puns and weird jokes. B-but…he isn't…"

Quests were short in number but taken care of. Luana did her best to smile and optimistic. She made sure to act chipper whenever she took on the request of a citizen or help out a pokemon. All morning long, Luana had to keep up the charade. In reality, she was worried. She wanted to go check on Crawford and see how he was doing. Maybe she could call him…

"No! Dummy! Stupid!" Luana face palmed her head several times in frustration. "Crawford's got laryngitis! He can't talk over the phone!"

With a sigh, Luana continued her way. Patrolling was way too depressing. Even on a gorgeous day in Almia. It was lonely if you didn't have someone to talk to. Especially if there were no jokes to be shared or laughter at clumsy antics. Luana's heart just wasn't in the right place that day.

"Hi Luana!"

Luana looked over. Tim looked like he just finished milking his miltank and carried a huge bucket of milk. The ranger hopped over the farm fence to meet up with the dairy farmer.

"I can help you carry that inside!" Luana offered.

"No it's much too heavy for ya! But I wouldn't mind if you stopped in for a visit." Tim said.

"Great!" Luana happily responded. "It'll be nice to see your family again!"

"Been awhile. Busy with Dim Sun running about." Tim noted.

There was some small chit-chat before they walked back into the farm house. It was so cozy and simple but filled with life. Easy to tell that a family of six lived here. There were two girls (ages 9 and 6) and two boys (11 and 5) who were busy playing about. Bertha, the mother, was cooking lunch over the stove.

"Tim, honey? Did you finish?" Bertha asked.

"Yes but look who decided to come see us." Tim replied.

Bertha looked over. "Oh! Luana! Wonderful to see you, dearie!"

"Good to see you too!" Luana chirped.

"I was just making soup! Actually, I could use a hand! Would you mind?" Bertha requested.

"Bertha, sweetie, we shouldn't make our guests work…" Tim sweatdropped.

"No, no! I don't mind at all!" Luana interrupted.

Normally, Luana was a disaster in the kitchen. Elaine fixed the appliances at least once a week due to some explosion or mess. But somehow, Luana was better cooking when she did it with other people. And if it was Bertha, who was the best cook in Vientown, then there was nothing to fear.

Tim went to handle the milk. Luana joined Bertha at the counter. The scent of the stew filled the air, making the ranger a tiny bit hungry. She glanced in the giant pot to see a white creamy soup with a variety of vegetables.

"Can you hand me the pepper?" Bertha asked.

"Sure!" Luana located the pepper and gave it to her.

Bertha added the spice in. "So what's the problem, dearie?"

"Problem?" Luana blinked.

"You seem a bit down today." Bertha noticed.

"N-no I'm not! I'm feeling great!" Luana said, perkily.

Bertha didn't seem to go for it. Luana handed her the wooden spoon which was used to stir the contents of the bubbling pot.

"So what's wrong?" Bertha asked again. "Does it have to do with Crawford not being here?"

Luana was stunned. She did everything she could to make sure she didn't look like anything was wrong. And somehow, Bertha could tell. She even guessed right about Crawford!

"Call it's woman's intuition." Bertha knew what Luana was thinking. "I can see you're smiling with your lips while you're eyes aren't. Eyes are the window to the soul and true emotions."

"They are? Really?" Luana curiously asked.

"Of course. You can always tell what someone is thinking just by reading their eyes." Bertha told her. "It was how I first knew Tim had a crush on me or how I can tell if my children are lying. When in doubt, look at the eyes."

"What if the person doesn't make eye contact with you?" Luana passed a celery stick over.

"That alone should tell you enough, shouldn't it?" Bertha chopped the vegetable. "Back to you. You can tell me what's wrong."

"Um…" Luana hesitated, nervous. "It's just that Crawford's sick…."

"Sick? Oh dear. That's no good." Bertha shook her head.

"Fever, chills and laryingitis." Luana added.

"I bet you a week's supply of milk it's killing him not to tell a joke right now." Bertha said.

"You're probably right." Luana sweatdropped.

"And you have to go patrolling alone while he heals?" Bertha assumed.

"Well yeah. I like having Crawford around for company. He's always there to make me laugh and make the world seem like a great place. Everything's better with him." Luana went on. "I…I kinda miss him."

Bertha smiled. Luana helped her chop up a few carrots and onions. Both women used wooden spoons to stir the soup, which looked and smelled even more savory. It was quiet for a moment.

"You care for Crawford don't you?"

Luana froze, dropping the spoon right into the pot. Bertha chuckled.

"It's not that hard to tell how you feel about him." She said. "You light up whenever he's with you. Always laughing at those…er…_interesting_ jokes of his. And I have to admit, you two really go well together."

"Er…I um…" Luana turned scarlet red.

"It's ok to feel that way about him!" Bertha laughed.

"No it's not! I-I'm so embarrassed!" Luana moaned.

That only made Bertha laugh a little more. Luana hid her face in her hands.

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone." Bertha promised.

"Thanks." Luana relaxed. "I doubt that Crawford would think of me as more than a ranger or friend, at best."

"I wouldn't say that." Bertha grinned all knowingly. "Just be patient, dearie."

Luana was unsure what that meant. Before she could ask, the soup was complete. She and Bertha sampled to a little bit of it. Yummy! Warm, creamy and with a kick of flavor! This soup was amazing!

"Here's an idea. Why don't you take some of this for Crawford? It'll help him feel better." Bertha offered.

"I couldn't possibly do that! You made the soup!" Luana objected, though touched by the offer.

"We both made it. There's plenty to go around. Besides…" Bertha's grin flashed again. "I think Crawford will like it. If it's from you."

Bertha got out a tupperware bowl and poured some of the soup into it. The top was sealed tight by a cover.

"Feed Crawford some of this, give him some company and he'll be better in no time! I'm sure of it!" Bertha said.

"Alright then! I'll give this to him now while it's still hot!" Luana nodded. "Thank you!"

The ranger left the kitchen and started to go towards the front door. The younger girl and boy were near there, lying down on the floor as they drew in coloring books.

"Bye bye Luana!" The little boy waved.

"Bye Luana!" His sister piped up.

"See you later you guys!" Luana said.

The ranger slipped out the front door and back into the town. There was a spring in her step now. But she had to be careful not to spill any of the soup. Hopefully, this would help Crawford speed up the recovery. Or, at the very least, make him forget the pain for a little bit. Luana managed to get back to base fairly quickly. Tawny was still at the desk, doing whatever it was operators did. Elaine seemed to be making process with the AC.

"Hey Luana!" The mechanic greeted. "Hm? What's that you've got?"

"Just some lunch!" Luana answered.

Not for her, though. But no way would Luana confess that it was for Crawford. The girls would be suspicious immediately.

"Lucky…"Tawny groaned, tormented by the soups aroma.

"So, um, how's Crawford holding up?" Luana asked, trying to sound casual.

"Not much has changed. He slept for the majority of the morning." Elaine replied. "I gave him a whiteboard and dry erase board to help communicate."

"Good idea!" Luana praised.

"Eh." Elaine shrugged. "He barely uses it. Didn't make a single joke all morning. I think the dude's really out of it."

Yikes. Crawford must really be sick. Luana hated to know that he was in this condition. As the mechanic and operator talked, the ranger took her chance to slip past them. Better to leave now before they asked questions. Go through the back room, grab a spoon from the kitchen, head up the stairs and down the halls to the dorms. Luana slowly walked through, stopping right before Crawford's room.

One hand held the soup and spoon while other clutched the doorknob. Luana felt anxiety creep through her body. Heart beat sped up as throat closed up. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden? Would Crawford want to see her? Or was seeing him a stupid idea?

"No…" Luana thought. "You can do this. Crawford should have some support when he's sick. Maybe he'd do the same for you if you were in his shoes."

With a deep breath, Luana opened the door.

"Crawford? You awake?" She asked.

The ranger entered the room. Curtains were closed but it didn't keep out all the light. Luana could see enough, allowing her to enter. Crawford was in bed. His hair wasn't afro'd (a rare sight) and was in light pajamas. A wash cloth was on his forehead. Crawford looked up at Luana, smiling right away. Even in his weakened state, he somehow managed to pull off looking happy.

"Hope you're feeling a little better." Luana said as she came towards the bed.

Crawford got out the board and wrote something down. _"A little."_

"Well I brought over some soup for you." Luana told him.

The guy gave her an incredulous look. He started writing but Luana knew what he was going to say.

"Relax. Bertha helped me." She assured him. "We tasted the soup ourselves and it didn't poison either of us."

Crawford relaxed, easing back into his goofy grin. He sat up as Luana handed him the bowl and spoon. As Luana started to sit down, Crawford uncovered the bowl and took the first bite. That look on his face made Luana giggle. Obviously he liked it. Enough to spoon in several more bites!

When the soup was halfway gone, Crawford set the bowl on his lap and began writing again. _"This is awesome! Thank you!"_

"Not a problem!" Luana gleefully said. "I'm happy you like it! Hopefully you'll get better soon!"

Message erased with a new one written. "Definitely getting there."

Crawford took a few more spoonfuls of lunch. He did go back to writing again soon enough. _"How's patrol?"_

"You really want to hear about that?" Luana questioned.

Crawford nodded. Luana went to tell him a few of the quests she handled and how everyone was doing. As he ate lunch, Crawford smiled and listened to every detail. He seemed pretty interested in what Luana had to say. It was as he lit up just hearing her talk. Luana was happy to be with him and see him smiling, getting better. Minutes ago, Crawford seemed to be frail from being so sick but now he was starting to come back.

"_Sorry you had to handle quests alone."_

"No it's ok!" Luana said. "You're sick! You need rest! I understand!"

A silent, still moment. Crawford scribbled another note on the board.

"_You miss me?"_

"Of course I did!" Luana replied.

Crawford looked taken aback.

"_Really?"_

"Yeah." Luana sighed. "I was lonely the entire time. Sure I talked to other people and pokemon but they weren't you. You're the only one who makes up all sorts of jokes and puns. Patrolling isn't the same if you're not there trying to make me laugh. I have more fun when I'm with you."

Another moment. The two rangers stared at each other; Luana happy and Crawford astonished by what she had said. But Crawford melted back into that goofy smile once more. The smile that always made Luana's cheeks warm and her knees start knocking.

Luana then remembered what Bertha said. Eyes are windows to the soul and true emotions. That you could tell someone's feelings just by making eye contact. What was Crawford feeling? Was Luana a bother or a help? Did he want her around? Luana, curious, decided to risk it and look into the eyes of her partner.

Crawford's eyes were an even tone of coffee brown. Light seemed to reflect off of the orbs brilliantly. But what Bertha said proved to be true. Looking close, Luana could see that there were emotions. Crawford was smiling with his lips and eyes. He was truly happy. There seemed to be more in those eyes. Behind them was a mind that created jokes unlike any other with a desire to share them. Crawford wanted to talk to Luana rather than hold up writing. He wanted to be outside and on patrol with her. All this she could sense in his eyes.

…and something else. There was happiness, relaxing, peaceful and determination. But there was one emotion Luana couldn't identify. Something that went beyond the bounds of care. A gentle expression of mystery.

"Oh hey. You finished the soup." Luana noticed the empty bowl. "I'll clean that up and let you get some sleep."

Crawford hastily wrote down a note. _"Are you going to visit me again?"_

"Do you want that?" Luana questioned.

"_Yes."_

Luana grinned. "Then sure. I'll come back later when you're rested up some more."

Crawford smirked jokingly. _"What? No goodnight kiss?"_

Luana couldn't help but laugh. The jokes hadn't fully returned but the guy was getting there. He was certainly better than before. Luana took the bowl and started to leave the room. Crawfords spirits were lifting but so were Luana's. That visit did just as much good to Luana as it did to Crawford.

"I guess if I have to like a guy, then I chose a pretty cute one." Luana thought, blushing. "I can't wait to visit him again!"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

A day passed. Luana kept her promise and Crawford was happy to see her. Elaine was shocked that he was doing so well. Fever slowly went down. Same with the chills. The next day, Crawford was back to his regular afro, prankster self. He strolled into the base's main room looking healthier than ever. Luana was overjoyed to see her partner back to normal. The two went back on patrol through Vientown (after returning the Tupperware and thanking Bertha).

"Hey Luana?" Crawford spoke up. "Thanks. You know, for helping me out while I was sick."

"Of course! I couldn't let you suffer alone! Almia's best comedian can't have his voice out!" Luana responded.

"Naturally." Crawford pompously said. "But…did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"Er…about…um…" Crawford sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "T-that you missed me. How I made patrol more fun."

Luana went pink. "I…er…yeah! I meant it! All of it!"

Crawford stared at her in disbelief. Then his own face was getting a little flushed. He was unusually quiet for a minute or two.

"So hey, listen. There's this new ice cream shop that opened up in Pueltown. And if you're interested, then maybe after questing we could…um…" Crawford's voice trailed off, sounding a little nervous.

"Wait…a-are you asking me out?"

"Maybe?" Crawford gulped.

Luana went from pink to red. She gasped as her face was deep red now. Crawford's as well. His face was turned away but Luana understood exactly what sort of feelings her partner had right now. Didn't need to see the eyes this time to get the message.

"I'd love to go out with you." Luana shyly said.

"Really? You mean it?" Crawford faced her again, eyes wide.

"I mean it." Luana answered, smiling. "You're always there for better or worse. You make me laugh and help me whenever I need it. I always admired you for your upbeat personality…"

Didn't get to finish. Luana found herself swept up and wrapped in a tight hug.

"Luana! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!" Crawford said, over the moon happy.

"Ack! You're squishing me! Can't breathe!" Luana laughed as her voice was muffled in his shirt.

Crawford carefully set her down. "We've got most of the quests out of the way. How about we take a break and go right now?"

"I couldn't wait anyways." Luana giggled.

"Besides, for the next date, we can go to the supermarket." Crawford said.

"The supermarket?" Luana sweatdropped.

"We can have a date there. I think they sell them next to the oranges and pinapples." Crawford joked.

Luana couldn't help but laugh. Not a bad joke, actually. Her arm locked with Crawford as they started to go through Vien Forest, on their way to Pueltown. It seemed like the day was even more gorgeous than before. The sun was brighter, pokemon happier, all was peaceful and well….

But that may be the emotions fluttering between the two rangers. Luana listened and laughed to more jokes during their walk. Crawford was smiling even bigger now that he was with his new girlfriend. It was easy to tell what was in those eyes as well as Luana's. There was happiness, excitement, anticipation and a little surprise.

Mostly, though, there was love.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Chia: A sweet ending! With any luck, Sky will try to get another chapter done soon enough. She'll battle the cold to get to her readers. Kinda like how Mario battles Bowser to save Peach. Or in the pokemon movie, Ash climbs down a tower while mew & mewtwo fight so he can save the suffering pokemon. Thank you guys!**


	13. Swan Lake

**Chia: …seriously? Barbie Swan Lake? You hate Barbie.**

**Yes but it was a request by a fan (who wanted to remain anonymous) who's been very loyal. And why not? I already did the Nutcracker which held a little of the Barbie version characteristics. Plus it gives me opportunity to experiment with other couples.**

**Chia: Sven and Wendy?**

**Nope. Tempted but alas, not that. Kate and Keith I'll write about again very soon. Same with Solana and Lunick, who I really want to attempt to write. This time? I'm using Kellyn and hitachiitwinsfan989's OC, Seren. Basically, it's a little bit of a thank you for being such a wonderful coauthor.**

**Chia: Sky does not own any of the Pokemon or crossover material.**

**Read, review and enjoy!**

_P.S. I may have changed a few aspects of the OC Seren so to her beloved owner, please don't get mad!_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

In the land of Almia, there was a peaceful place known as Vientown. It was here where Seren Refern resided with her aunt. She only graduated from ranger school a week ago. There was a rest period before she'd officially get her assignment and become an actual ranger. Just a few more days. Seren was way too excited to wait. She'd practice her capture spins, ranger posing and exercised daily. Though, on the plus side, Seren would get to spend time with her aunt Sierra and older cousin, Vientown Ranger Luana.

"Practicing your spins again?"

"EEEP!"

Seren froze in place as a chuckle came from the doorway of the living room. Aunt Sierra was there watching her.

"You always were a magnificent dancer." Sierra said.

"I'm going to be a _ranger_, auntie." Seren corrected. "I was making sure I can capture a pokemon smoothly and without much trouble."

"No need to be embarrassed about it! Luana was exactly like you when she started out!" Sierra told her. "Dancing around and over-excited. But so worried about what was to come. One year later and look at her now."

"My ditzy kitchen-destroying cousin is a pretty awesome ranger." Seren admitted, tucking a strand of raven hair behind her ear.

"And she's got a decent boyfriend. Even if his afros a bit…unusual." Sierra sweatdropped.

"They're not dating. Luana insists they're just friends." Seren said.

Sierra smirked. "For now."

"Are you guys talking about me behind my back?"

In came Luana. Seren envied how awesome she looked in her uniform. But the two girls looked almost like identical twins. So if Luana looked epic in a ranger uniform, then Seren would be amazing as well.

"Just mentioning to Seren about your boyfriend." Sierra said.

"HE IS A BOY AND HE IS MY FRIEND! BUT NOT A BOYFRIEND!" Luana flailed her arms in a frenzy, freaking out as her cheeks turned red.

"Calm down!" Seren laughed. "You panic way too much!"

"I have a reason too!" Luana huffed. "My mom drives me nuts!"

"But you love me." Sierra reminded.

Luana sighed. "…yeah. I love my mom. And my crazy little cousin."

"Watch who you're calling crazy. I'll kick your butt at rangering." Seren challenged.

"That'll be the day." Luana stuck out her tongue.

The three girls laughed. Seren smiled, feeling at home. Nothing like being with her family.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"WOO! Nice shot!"

"Told ya I could capture 'em!"

Meanwhile, across the region, two rangers were practicing captures outside of the Union. There was a tall cowboy with tan skin and dark blue hair; an experienced top ranger. Then was a regular ranger who was stationed at the Union. He had coffee-brown hair that could resemble a buizel style and fierce brown eyes that were always determined.

"Have you really captured 10,000 pokemon, Sven?" The brown haired boy questioned.

"And counting." Sven smirked. "Hey there's two aipom over there. You got this, Kellyn?"

"Naturally." Kellyn nodded, accepting the challenge.

Whipped out his styler and began the capture. A few loops here, several more there. Only took a minute for both aipoms to be captured and befriended. Nothing to it.

"Easy." Kellyn said. "Now what about that floatzel?"

"All the way over at the river? Impossible for a non-top ranger!" Sven snickered.

"Impossible? My favorite word." Kellyn chuckled.

Same procedure as before. Kellyn brought out the styler and proceeded on. It was quite a ways away from the Union to the river. Distance was a little challenging for rangers who didn't have years of experience. But Kellyn was confident. And that confidence always pulled through. This time? It did once again.

"Whoa! Dude that was great!" Sven applauded.

"Thank you! Thank you very much!" Kellyn bowed, proud of himself. "I'll be here all week!"

"Might make top ranger someday if you keep up the good work." Sven said.

"Won't be as good as us, though."

Out of the Union came Wendy, the green haired top ranger and Sven's partner. Behind her was Rhythmi, a Union operator and old classmate of Kellyn.

"Did you guys hear about the Ranger Festival? So many rangers from regions are coming to celebrate the anniversary of the Union's founding! It's going to be such a huge event!" Rhythmi excitedly told the group.

"Big whoop." Kellyn rolled his eyes.

Rhythmi glared at him, placing her hands on her hips. "Come on, Kell! Take a break and relax!"

"Hey I prefer mission and adventures over dancing at some stupid ball." Kellyn said, leaning against a tree.

"If not for the dancing, then at least for the women. A lot of cute babes are coming." Sven reminded.

"Pass." Kellyn refused.

"What? Not interested in girls?" Wendy asked.

"Nah it's just…" Kellyn paused. "None of the girls I meet are interesting. They're not my type."

"Then who is?" Rhythmi questioned.

"Well…" Kellyn hesitated. "A smart girl. Someone who is smart, brave, really sweet and never gives up. One who can make my life exciting. And I like girls with cute smiles."

"You make it sound like you already have someone in mind." Sven noticed, suspicious.

"Kinda." Kellyn sheepishly scratched the back of his neck.

"TELL US!" Rhythmi demanded. "You have to! Tell us! Tell us! TELL US!"

"Ok, ok, ok!" Kellyn sweatdropped. "Back in Kanto, when I was little, I used to live next door to a cute girl. We were great friends and always found ways to have fun. But a year before I left for ranger school, my family had to move to Johto. The two of us promised to follow our dreams; to become rangers. Then we'd meet again one day. Haven't seen her since."

"Oh that's so sad!" Rhythmi sniffled. "A lost love!"

"You'd know plenty about that." Kellyn mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Rhythmi raised an eyebrow.

"You and Issac separated after ranger school. And though he was supposed to transfer to the Union, he went missing after that huge storm." Kellyn reminded.

"SHUT UP!" Rhythmi snapped, sore about the subject. "I-I wasn't in love with him anyways! We were friends! Can't I be concerned for a friend?"

"You two said you'd meet up again so you will. No doubt about it." Wendy assured.

"And even if so, I'm sure there are plenty of girls like her at the gala." Sven added.

"Yeah." Kellyn thought. "But none like her."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Seren strolled through Vientown, humming the Oracion song. Catchy tune really. And it fit the day so perfectly. Sun was shining, pokemon were happy and all was peaceful. Seren had already played with a few of the starly and bidoof. She was having fun! And soon, she'd be playing with all sorts of pokemon as a ranger!

"_Kya! Help!"_

"Huh?"

The girl stopped. She saw a pokemon fly over, panicking. Seren gasped. A latias! And a beautiful one at that! The latias glanced at Seren, who was staring at the marvelous creature in awe.

"There it is!"

Latias cried out, fearful, as it flew away. There were three groups of people chasing right after it. Rangers, poachers and villagers. Each seemed to have some specific goal. The poachers were obviously capturing it for money while rangers were protecting the pokemon. Villagers were probably wanting to get a good look at a legendary pokemon. It was utter chaos.

Seren went after the group, hoping she could help in some way. She'd ask Luana what happened if the cousin wasn't busy fending off poachers. Rangers had managed to stop a good number of those poachers and send home most of the villagers. But Seren saw two or three sneak off.

"Gotcha!"

A rope was thrown around latias' neck. Poor pokemon struggled to wriggle free. Seren ran straight over to the poacher who held the rope.

"Stop! You can't do this!" Seren yelled.

"Back away, girly!" The poacher snarled, waving her away. "This here's my pokemon!"

Luckily, the poacher was too distracted to properly reign the latias. Latias threw her head and tugged the rope away from the poacher (who was slammed against a wall, unconscious). Though it was still around her neck. The latias flew off to the edge of Vien forest. The rope snagged against branches which took massive struggle to break free from.

"I have to help her." Seren thought, worried. "That rope might tangle her again. Or worse, choke her to death."

Seren gave chase to latias. Followed her straight into Vien Forest. Though latias seemed to be going in a different direction than most people would when traveling. Latias dove into the darker, more heavily forested areas. Seren hopped rocks across a river, tracking the pokemon down. They reached a waterfall which had to be close to the heart of the forest.

Latias looked both directions. Her eyes glowed white for a split second. The thick waterfall parted, splitting in half. Instead of a solid rock wall, there was an entry way into a tunnel. Latias flew inside. And as the waterfall closed, Seren managed to slip her way in.

"Oh my gosh…" Seren whispered.

After a short walk through the cave-tunnel, she reached the outside. It was gorgeous! She was taken to a hidden spot that was in the mountains! The Hia Valley cold winds couldn't reach this wonderland! There was a vast lake, with scenic waterfalls. Trees unlike any seen before. Flowers that burst into a colorful bloom. Colors that were very calming to the eyes. Such a relaxing place.

"_Kyaaaaa! Noooo!"_

That voice! Seren rushed to the trees, towards the voice. Took a bit of running to get there but latias was found again. Her rope snagged in a large thorn bush. The pokemon fussed and wriggled but found herself trapped in the branches. Poor girl was in so much pain.

"Stop moving you're making it worse!" Seren called out, coming over.

"_Easy for you to say!"_ Latias whined. _"You're not getting strangled!"_

Telepathy? Oh right. Legendary pokemon. Duh.

"Can you use your psychic powers to break free?" Seren suggested.

"_I can't use them when I get freaked out like this! Help me!"_ Latias cried.

That would explain why she didn't turn invisible, transform into other pokemon or do anything when she was chased.

"Stay calm! I'll find something to cut you loose!" Seren told her.

"_Hurry! This hurts!"_ Latias coughed, choking on the rope.

Seren looked around. She checked past trees to find a rock or something sharp. There was a small rock cliff just a few feet away. And something shiny sticking out from it. Curious, Seren wandered over. However, she didn't hear or see a group of pokemon standing close by.

"_A-another human! Here!"_

"_What she doing in this place?"_

"_Never mind that! Look! She found the crystal!"_

An amythest was lodged tightly in the wall of rock. Seren found its sharp edges would be good enough for the rope to be cut. Perfect! Now to pry it out of there.

"_Someone stop her! She can't…!"_

"_No. Watch."_

Seren's hand grasped the amythest. As easy as one two three, the gem slipped out. The pokemon gasped in wonder. Seren was happy with herself for finding a nice jewel. Granted she'd return it but for now, to help that latias. Latias struggled but stopped, eyes wide at the sight of the gem.

"_Where. Did. You. Get that?"_ The pokemon whispered.

"Um…the big rock cliff over there?" Seren sweatdropped.

"_Y-you just took it out? That easily?"_ Latias gasped.

"I-I didn't mean to steal it! I'm only borrowing it to help you!" Seren stammered.

The dark haired girl proceeded to cut the ropes that bound Latias. Within a second or two, latias was free once again.

"_Big brother! Did you see that? Huh?"_ Latias asked to a pokemon who flew over.

A latios! Wow was he striking! Just like the storybooks said!

"_This girl right here used the Soul Drop! She saved me!"_ Latias told him.

"Sorry! I was going to put it back! I swear!" Seren frantically apologized.

Latios smiled. "_Don't be sorry. I'm happy you helped out my sister. By the way, latias, how many times have I told you not to leave the Magic Springs?"_

"_I was trying to help!"_ Latias protested. _"And look! I brought the girl! The one we've been waiting for! See?"_

"What? You've been waiting for me?" Seren asked, lost on the subject.

"_Yes, miss…hmmm. What is your name?"_ Latios asked.

"Seren." Seren answered.

"_Seren, the Soul Drop in your hands belongs to you now."_ Latios said. _"You see, it's a sign that you will save us."_

"I-I think you got me mixed up with someone else." Seren sweatdropped.

"_Many years back, I lived within this forest with latias and another legend, Darkrai. We were raised by a pokemon known as Celebi. When we came of age, Celebi would choose the protector and leader of the Magic Springs. And that was me."_ Latios explained. _"Darkrai was furious. He stormed out of here and took refuse in Chroma Valley."_

"_Everything was peaceful for a long time after. But then he came back. And he has a 'daughter' whose half human, half Zorua. Her name's Lavana and she's icky. Super mean!"_ Latias stuck out her tongue, disgusted.

"_Darkrai and Lavana have strong dark powers now. They took over the forest little by little."_ Latios went on. _"I tried forcing him to leave but he refused, overwhelming me with his strength. Worse, he sometimes kidnap humans who wandered into Vien Forest and bring them here. He trapped them under a curse, making them pokemon. Their misery only made Darkrai happier. Every prisoner taken makes the powers grow stronger."_

"Um…I hear what you're saying but I still don't quite understand what this crystal and I have to do with anything." Seren spoke up.

"_The Soul Drop is like a lesser part of a Soul Dew. It was foretold that the girl who pries the Soul Drop from the rock will overcome Darkrai and save Vien Forest. And to a lesser extent, the world."_ Latios finished.

Three pokemon popped from the bushes, coming over. There was an eevee, a quilava and a rattata. Other pokemon seemed to be hiding away, watching with anticipation. No one noticed a pair of murkrow watching them from the trees with dark expressions. Or that the murkrow soon took off somewhere.

"_Finally! Someone's here to put an end to this_!" The quilava cried out. _"Never thought it'd be you of all people, Seren, but this blasted curse is finally over!"_

"_Not so fast!"_ Eevee interrupted. _"Darkrai hasn't been defeated yet!"_

"You guys sound familiar…" Seren shook her head. "But really, wait a second. I've never defeated anyone in my life! I'm not even an official ranger yet! As much as I want to help, I don't even know where to begin!"

"_Oh you gotta be kidding me!"_ The quilava face-palmed.

"_We can't exactly force her to combat a darkrai, you know."_ The rattata said. _"Especially one so powerful. It's big news to take in."_

"Can I at least think about this?" Seren asked.

"_Why not?"_ Latios shrugged. _"Latias? Why don't you guide Seren around the forest?"_

"_Yes big brother!"_ Latias chirped.

Latias started eagerly flying. Seren complied, following the pokemon. The pokemon watched them leave, feeling nervous but also hopeful. Maybe there was a chance their curse would finally be lifted. Seren walked to see the striking view of the Magic Springs. As nerve wrecking as the news was, it was calming to see the waterfalls or walk beside the ancient trees. It was already evening. Wow did time fly by fast.

"_If only my powers didn't konk out when I get nervous. Then I'd show Darkrai what for!"_ Latias huffed. _"Use my mist ball to knock him away to the next region! Hiyah! Or maybe dragon pulse would do the trick!"_

Seren giggled. "I was brave back in Ranger School. But I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to stand up against a darkrai."

"_You rangers are always super brave. Can't understand why you're not brave yourself_." Latias said.

"I'm not an official one yet. Once the break's over and I'm registered, then I can be an actual ranger." Seren told her.

"_So what? You'd only come help us if you were a ranger? I thought real rangers would help us if they had stylers or not. They wouldn't hesitate to do what's right."_ Latias responded.

"True…" Seren whispered.

Suddenly, several feet away, a dark pool appeared from the ground. Two bodies were floating up from the darkness. One was a darkrai while the other was a human with weird qualities. An older, teenage girl with pink hair and a pink & black outfit. Instead of hands, she had claws. Her teeth were fangs. And there were red markings all over.

"_Darkrai and Lavana!"_ Latias squeaked, shivering.

"_A little bird told me that a human girl got the Soul Drop."_ Darkrai said. _"Couldn't possibly be this weak little girl."_

Lavana cackled a high pitched laugh. Ugh. Annoying.

"_Say what you want! Seren and I will make sure you never bother anyone again! Your days are numbered!"_ Latias announced.

"Latias!" Seren hissed.

"_And here I thought latias' were…oh how you say…timid."_ Darkrai growled. "Lavana, dear? How's about a new feather coat?"

"I'd love one daddy!" Lavana coo'ed.

"_Very well."_ Darkrai grinned evilly.

Winds suddenly picked up. Dark purple and red lightning bolts fused with darkness were zapping all over the place. The lightning was absorbed into a dark void that Darkrai was creating the palms of its hands. As soon as enough energy was gathered, the dark void sphere was launched. In mere milliseconds, it struck right at Seren. Seren hovered in mid-air as the dark void surrounded her completely. The darkness tore at her body. It was shaping her like play-doh, changing her form with harsh stinging and aching. She could feel herself shrinking and parts of her body disappear.

The dark void vanished. As did the body of a teenage girl. In its place was a bird pokemon, Swana.

"_No!"_ Seren's voice cracked, horrified at the transformation.

"_Seren!"_ Latias' trembled.

Darkrai laughed. _"Look at the hero now. How pathetic."_

"_Hey lay off!"_ Latias used a tackle attack to knock Darkrai down. _"Seren! RUN! Before he gets you!"_

Latias was doing her best to hold the dark pokemon off. Seren was still shocked and distraught at what happened. But somehow, her bird instincts let her use those wings. The swana managed to fly over the waters of the lake.

"_Seren! Over here!"_

Seren followed the source of the voice. She glided into the water, swimming close to the mainland. It was much easier to swim and fly than walk on land. But then again, it would be for a bird type pokemon. How humiliating. Seren was nearly in tears when Latios and the other pokemon rushed over to the edge of the water.

"_I came as quickly as I could."_ Latios said, using his psychic powers to place a tiara on Seren's bird head. _"This crown and the Soul Drop will protect you from anymore of Darkrai's evil magic."_

"_Would've been useful a minute ago…"_ Seren sniffled.

"_How right she is."_

Darkrai and Lavana appeared yet again. Latias must've been beaten. Seren was shaking all over at the site of those two.

"_Relax, Seren. He can do you no harm so long as you wear the Soul Drop."_ Latios reassured.

"_Why not just save yourself the trouble and hand that over, Latios_?" Darkrai demanded. _"These springs were always meant to be mine."_

"_And see you destroy the rest of my home? Forget it."_ Latios growled threateningly.

"_Then sit back and watch your pretty little home get demolished by me. That girl's life is going to be cut drastically short."_ Darkrai remarked.

Darkrai tried to launch another dark void at Seren again. However, this one failed. A protective shield of light was thrown up against the darkness and turned into sparkles of light. Seren was left without a scratch.

"But daddy! I want my feather coat! Why am I not getting one? You said I would!" Lavana wailed.

The pokemon of darkness sighed. He knew he was beat for the time being. With that, he and Lavana crawled back into the dark pool and disappeared once again. That left the pokemon alone.

"_Seren!"_ Latias flew back over.

Seren climbed out of the water, stumbling over her webbed feet. She was really upset still. Not exactly fun being turned into a Swana.

"_What am I going to do?"_ Seren moaned. _"C-can you turn me back?"_

Latios shook his head, mournfully. _"I cannot. And a few of the kidnapped Darkrai victims managed to escape his palace and from becoming servants."_

"_Not an easy task either."_ Rattata wearily said.

"_My powers weren't strong enough to break the curse completely. But I can weaken it."_ Latios explained._ "From sunset to sunrise, the captured may become human again."_

"_At least try with me! Please! I have to become human again! I can't be a Swana for the rest of my life!"_ Seren desperately pleaded.

Latios hesitated. The sun was starting to set. As good a time as any to try breaking the curse. Latios summoned his energy and created a bluish white glow around Seren. The sun disappeared over the horizon.

Magic swirled around Seren, changing her body once more. It was filled with warmth this time. She felt herself shape back into the form of a human. At the same time, the pokemon were transforming too. There were two boys and one girl. One boy had a blond mushroom haircut while the other had red, flame styled hair. The girl had light brown hair in two spiky pigtails.

"Kate! Keith!" Seren exclaimed.

"About time you recognized us." Kate giggled.

"_You know them already?"_ Latias asked.

"We were friends and classmates at ranger school! But they disappeared right after the graduation ceremony!" Seren told her.

"That stupid darkrai brought us here." Keith clenched his jaw. "And then he changed us into pokemon! Kate and I barely escaped his palace alive!"

"And you are?" Seren turned to the blonde.

"Issac." Issac replied. "Nice to meet you. I was in the class a year before you at ranger school. Worked as a mechanic for a little while. The Union transferred me to their HQ to be a researcher but during a storm, I was stolen away to this place."

Seren faced latios again, smiling. "Thank you for this! I'm human again!"

"_You do realize it's temporary. Until dawn."_ Latios reminded.

"Then I'm a Swana again. Damn it…" Seren frowned. "Know what? I can't go home like this. And I am not letting my friends suffer! I've got to find a way to break this curse!"

"_That's the spirit!"_ Latias cheered.

Keith whoop'ed. "And that's the Seren we know! Never gonna give you up, never gonna…"

"Keith!" Kate hit his head. "We agreed not to sing Rick Asley stuff!"

"Tell me the details, latios." Seren requested.

"In the Book of Vien, there should be something written about this curse. And that'll help us. It's a book only opened by the bearer of the Soul Drop." Latios looked at the pokemon. "Latias? Will you guide Seren there?"

"_Not a problem!"_ Latias sang.

"_The book is guarded by a mankey. Talk to him and use this to open the vault to get the book."_ Latios instructed, giving Seren a waterstone.

"Thank you." Seren bowed. "Shall we head off, latias?"

"_Off we go!" _

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Around the same time, Kellyn was reading some manga. Was a little bored. Everyone was either out or busy planning the Ranger Festival. And he didn't have a ranger partner to talk to.

Knock! Knock!

…huh. Weird coincidence.

"Door's open!" Kellyn called.

Rhythmi came inside. She sat down on the spare bed as Kellyn put the manga aside.

"Hey. You've been in here awhile." Rhythmi said.

"I'm bored. Nothing to do this late at night and there's no way I can sleep." Kellyn replied. "What's new with you?"

"I…I needed someone to talk to." Rhythmi sighed.

"Something wrong?" Kellyn asked.

"It's what you said this afternoon. About Issac…."Rhythmi's voice trailed off.

"Rhyth, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Kelly apologized softly.

"No but I still miss him. After all this time." Rhythmi looked at the floor with a sad expression. "I…I hope he's ok."

"I'm sure he's fine. And people are looking for him. We'll find Issac." Kellyn assured.

"Ok." Rhythmi wiped away the tears that were about to spill over. "A-and maybe I'll help you find that friend of yours. The girl you mentioned earlier."

"Ah. Her." Kellyn smiled a little at the memory of her.

"Maybe once all the festival chaos is over, I'll have free time to access the ranger database. Could be that she's become a ranger or, at the very least, is in school." Rhythmi suggested.

"Thanks Rhythmi. It means a lot to me for you to do that." Kellyn said.

The two friends stared out the window at the late night. On their minds were the friends that they knew and were close to.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Luana paced the floors of the house, anxiously waiting. Her nerves were shot. She couldn't calm down at all. The hours were only getting later and there was still no sign of…

"Luana? Is Seren back?"

Sierra burst through the front door, tired and frazzled.

"No. And I'm really worried." Luana was getting choked up.

"Where is she?" Sierra rubbed her temples. "I better check around again."

"I'll go with you." Luana offered, walking alongside her mother.

"Are you sure? You have patrolling tomorrow. And your ranger curfew is soon." Sierra said.

"I think they'll understand if I'm helping look for my family." Luana assured. "Darn it Seren, where are you?"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Sooo…what's this mankey like?"

Seren and Latias had gone pretty far into the Magic Springs woods. It was dark but Seren didn't mind too much. Dark wasn't as scary compared to the darkness that Darkrai produced. Made her shudder.

"_Ugh. They're ugly, smelly, got this super duper huge temper, easy to get angry and so energetic…yech."_ Latias gagged. _"Totally not cute like I am."_

Seren sweatdropped. "I suppose most pokemon aren't."

"_Awww! You're so nice!"_ Latias giggled. "Oh? Here we are!"

There was an oak tree that was tall and grand. It's trunk was spread wide. And on the trunk was an ancient door of sorts. It was mystifying and a little unusual.

"_You have the waterstone right?"_ Latias asked.

Seren nodded. She pulled it from her pocket and held it up high. The waterstone glistened in the moonlight and made a pretty wind chime sound. As the sound reached the tree, the doors rumbled and slowly opened. Inside was a fancy but cozy living room. Antique furniture with a roaring fireplace. Books were stacked in dozens of piles and at high heights. Almost as high as the ceiling, which seemed endless. How could a mankey live in a place like this?

"_Who's there?" _A gruff voice demanded, making Seren jump.

"_Oh hey there. I'm latias and this is my friend, Seren_." Latias introduced.

"No idea who you are. And you don't wanna know me." The voice snapped.

"_No fooling." _Latias muttered under her breath.

"Please. We need the Book of Vien." Seren spoke up, holding out the waterstone. "She gave us this."

Silence. Then stomping. Seren waited as the stomps grew closer and closer. Soon enough, she was looking down at a mankey. The mankey took the waterstone from Seren's hands, studying it intensely. He sniffed it, stared at it and tapped the surface. Soon enough, a smile was on his face.

"_Aha! This is the waterstone made by latios! Welcome honored guests!"_ Mankey happily said.

The mankey ran off, scurrying through books in a crazed search. The search was for a stool that he gave to Seren for her to sit down.

"You're…um…nice?" Seren said, confused by the sudden personality switch.

"_Oh I just act mean to keep out the troublesome pests. Gotta make sure my books stay safe, you know."_ Mankey responded. "Can I get you anything?"

"The Book of Vien, please." Seren answered.

"_Wait is that…?"_ Mankey gasped, staring at Seren's tiara.

"_It is."_ Latias grinned.

"_Well why didn't you tell me earlier? Of course you get to see the book!"_ Mankey rushed about. _"Let me see if I can find you that book!"_

"And we can help you." Seren offered.

"_Righty then! Look for a book that's as red as latios with a gem as blue as latios! It's got silver vines for décor and its medium sized. Alright crew! Let's get looking!"_

**For the sake of writing and readers sanity, let us flash forward in time.**

No luck so far. Seren was getting sleepier and sleepier as she continued the search. She could find similar books but none that were _the_ book. Latias did her best but even psychic powers couldn't locate literature. And mankey drove himself nuts trying to find the book needed. Thankfully no temper or explosion of rage. Yet.

"_Gah! I can't find it!"_ Mankey groaned.

"We will! It hasn't been that long a search!" Seren assured.

"_Not that long? We've looked all night!"_ Latias reminded.

"All night?" Seren gulped.

The sun was starting to rise over the mountains. Seren looked at a nearby mirror to see a swirl of sparkling magic surround her. Her body shrank and transformed back into a Swana once again. Seren had become a pokemon, much to her disappointment.

"_Which shelf next, mankey?"_ Seren asked, trying to hold back the tears. _"We've got to find that book. Even if it takes us all day."_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Over in the darker part of the Magic Springs, there was a gigantic palace. A menacing one that would make anyone feel scared. Within a tall tower was an elegant room where Lavana rested on a couch, going through a treasure trove of jewelry.

"Boring. Lame. So last year." She sighed, picking through the collection. "Dull. Too gray. EW! I have nothing to wear! And the stress of this problem is making my make up run! WAAAAHHHH! DADDY!"

Darkrai was pacing the floors, deep in thought. He glanced at his daughter before focusing on his thoughts once more.

"I know that look." Lavana smirked. "You're up to something, aren't you daddy dearest?"

"_I'll get that Soul Drop. Even if I have to rip it off that stupid girl's head."_ Darkrai grumbled.

"A crown? Oooh, I don't have one of those." Lavana said. "I want one, daddy! Get one to me now!"

"_Soon enough, my little starly."_ Darkrai said.

"I hate waiting!" Lavana pouted. "Why don't you just destroy that girl, daddy? Any ol' human can do that."

Darkrai stopped. Eyes went wide as an idea formed.

"_That's it! That Soul Drop can protect her from me but it can't protect her from another human!"_ Darkrai said. _"It's brilliant!"_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Kellyn strolled through the Vien forest. Questing was done and no missions were coming up. It was a slow day for rangers. Late afternoon though it felt like the day was longer. What did it take to have a little action around here? Even a rare pokemon to capture would be some fun.

Whoooosh!

…a strange shadow pokemon? That counted as rare. Kellyn was curious, starting to follow right after it. The shadow led Kellyn through the trees, past the river and deep to the heart of the forest. It stopped at the waterfall, where it parted the waters to reveal a tunnel. Kellyn was amazed at this discovery. How awesome was this?

As the shadow ducked inside, Kellyn chased after it. He carefully slipped through the waterfall as it closed behind him. Quick run through the tunnel and Kellyn was inside a new place.

"Wow…" Kellyn whispered, gazing on the Magic Springs.

There was the shadow again. Heading north. Kellyn charged straight after it, ready for capture.

Right that moment, Seren the Swana was fast asleep in one of the lakes. Kate, Keith and Issac were keeping watch from nearby. Sleepy Latias was with them.

"_We looked all night and all day…"_ Latias yawned. _"But nothing, nada, zip, zero."_

"_Shush! I hear something!"_ Kate whispered.

WHOOOOOSH!

A blast of wind woke up the startled Seren. There was a menacing laugh in the air. Pokemon looked all about to see where it was coming from. But they all knew who it was; Darkrai.

"_RUN SEREN!"_ Latias shouted.

Seren snapped to attention. She stretched her wings and took off just before the shadow closed in on her. So an aerial chase began. Seren versus the shadow that was darkrai. The swana tried her best to maneuver darkrai but it wasn't easy. Even though she was built to fly, it was hard to adjust to being a bird. Seren avoided incoming slash attacks or dark razor winds.

Down on the ground, Kellyn reached the lake where the two pokemon were battling. He was after the shadow thing originally but caught sight of the magnificent swana.

"What a capture!" Kellyn said in awe.

Swana were very rare outside of Unova. Kellyn would be the only Almia ranger to have such a pokemon in his records. He readied the styler and kept his aim on the swana. His eyes followed the bird pokemon where it flew. Darkrai hovered close by the ranger.

"Come on, take the shot. Just capture her already." Darkrai urged.

Capturing a pokemon of the Magic Springs worked differently. A pokemon of that kind would be overwhelmed by the styler power. Odds are, the pokemon would be killed. And that was what Darkrai wanted.

"So pretty…" Kellyn whispered, gazing at the creature.

His arm shook as it still stayed focused on the swana. He could capture it if he wanted to. But….but….

"_What are you waiting for? Damn it! SHOOT! SHOOT HER!"_ Darkrai insisted.

Kellyn lowered his arm and put the styler away. He watched the pokemon fly around. No way he could capture a lovely creature such as that. Even if it was befriending. A bird like that deserved to be free.

The sun was setting. Seren saw this and flew down to the ground. Magic surrounded her and shifted the body back into its human form. Her feet gracefully landed on the ground. She was back to herself again, much to her relief.

Kellyn stared at the girl, mouth open and in total shock. Couldn't believe his eyes. He just saw a swana transform into a strikingly gorgeous young girl with shoulder-length black hair and crystal blue eyes. A girl who Kellyn could recognize immediately. He quickly ran over to her.

"Seren?"

Seren turned to the voice, surprised. Standing before her was a ranger. A brown haired boy with soft brown eyes Seren knew from anywhere.

"K-Kellyn? Is that you?" Seren gasped.

Kellyn looked Seren over, almost unable to believe what he was seeing. A smile broke out on his face with eyes watery. He couldn't help but pull Seren into a hug. Two childhood friends were reunited at long last.

"Seren! It's really you!" Kellyn said. "Aw man, it's been way too long!"

"Kellyn! Y-you're here!" Seren was getting emotional. "H-how did you find this place?"

"Doesn't matter. I've got so many questions for you!" Kellyn replied, breaking the hug to look at Seren again. "Man…where do I even begin?"

"I guess we should sit down and catch up then." Seren sheepishly suggested. "A lot's happened in these past few days alone."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Darkrai was muttering swears over the failure that was his plan. He was supposed to meet Lavana but…why not mope a little more over that loss? At another part of the springs, Lavana was looking at her reflection in the water.

"Hmmmm. Maybe I should get some diamonds and pearls…" Lavana pondered out loud. "Yuck! Sinnoh is so last year! But maybe emeralds and sapphires? Yes! So fashionable! And matching ruby makeup to complete the set!"

She had no clue that two people were watching her from the bushes.

"See that?" Kate asked.

"An opportunity?" Keith grinned.

"Right on." Kate high-fived him. "We just need to get some friends to help us out."

"Say no more. Let me handle this prank." Keith assured confidently.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"And…that's what happened."

Seren walked along the shores of the lake with Kellyn. She told him everything that happened. Graduating ranger school, finding the Magic Springs and the curse she was put under. The boy listened intently to what she said. And he believed her as true friends did. They were always close, even after being apart for so long.

"_Blast. Can't believe you're still alive, Seren."_

The two friends whipped around to see Darkrai a couple feet away.

"_One ranger capture. All it would've taken for a Magic Springs creature such as you to be killed."_ Darkrai said. _"And the Soul Drop would've been mine."_

"You wanted me to kill her?!" Kellyn exclaimed, horrified.

"_You're a ranger. Ranger captures pokemon, don't they?"_ Darkrai questioned.

"Stay away from Seren!" Kellyn shouted.

"Tch. Useless human. Perhaps I'll turn you into turtwig." Darkrai decided.

Darkrai gathered a dark void energy attack. Seren leapt in front of Kellyn and blocked the attack using her Soul Drop crown. Dark particles turned to light. The attack did nothing to Kellyn.

Darkrai ceased fire. _"For now, the boy is safe. But you can keep him that way if you hand the crown over to me."_

Kellyn tried to launch a capture disk on darkrai but the pokemon was quick. With a wave of his warm, the shadows were able to turn the disk into dust.

"_You don't know what you're dealing with."_ Darkrai threatened.

"DAAAAADDDYYYYYYY!"

That screech could only come from Lavana. Darkrai was irritated that he was interrupted. But had no choice than to investigate what his daughter wanted. The pokemon turned into a shadow, slinking off.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Lavana was screaming her head off. Three stunkys were dancing around the woman, blasting their foul stench juice at her. On the sidelines, Keith and Kate were roaring with laughter. Had to keep their noses plugged but this was totally worth it. To see the ol' hag get drenched in that putrid smell.

"_Lavana! I was…"_ Darkrai came out but was stunned. "_Ugh! Dearie! What have you been doing?"_

Kate and Keith called the stunkys over, knowing it was a good time to run.

"Worst day EVER!" Lavana bawled. "I wanna go home! NOW DADDY NOW!"

Darkrai coughed. _"Y-you just need a bath! Three dozen of them. With vinegar and tomato berry juice."_

The two were forced to retreat to the palace so Lavana could get that bath. Kate and Keith were in the forest, still laughing over their success.

"That was awesome! Genius move!" Kate high-fived her partner again.

"Did you see her face? Oh my gosh that was so worth it!" Keith snickered. "I couldn't have done that without you!"

"M-me? You got the stunkys." Kate said.

"Yeah but you got the stunkys to listen. And you were supportive." Keith grinned. "Pranking wouldn't be fun without you."

Kate blushed. "Thanks Keith…"

Keith found himself turning pink as well. He was alone. With Kate. Who seemed to look very cute all of a sudden. No idea why but Keith starting thinking more often that his best friend was really cute; human or pokemon. Unable to control himself any longer, Keith took Kate's arm and pulled her close to his chest.

"Keith! W-what are you…?" Kate squeaked.

Keith shushed her. "I can't do this when we're pokemon. My flames would burn your fur."

"K-keith…" Kate whispered.

"You know you're my best friend, right? And that we'll always be together. No matter what." Keith told her quietly.

"Of course." Kate relaxed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"It's hard to tell what's going to happen, with everything so chaotic right now. But I'll make sure you're safe. I promise." Keith murmured.

For a long time after that, the two were wrapped in a gentle embrace.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Seren, you saved my life. Thank you."

Kellyn was walking with Seren again, calming down after the Darkrai ambush.

"As long as I wear the Soul Drop, nothing can hurt me. It protects me so I was never in danger." Seren said.

"With that Darkrai after you, of course you're in danger." Kellyn muttered.

"I'm glad you're ok…" Seren nervously said, hoping Kellyn wasn't mad.

Kellyn seemed to read her mind. "I'm not mad at you, Sere. Just at that pokemon for even thinking of attacking you."

Seren smiled, at ease with that assurance.

"Soooo what is this place exactly?" Kellyn asked.

"I haven't seen much. But I can show you what I do know." Seren offered. "Maybe Swana lake?"

"I'd like that." Kellyn accepted.

Together, the old friends walked into the Magic Springs. They laugh and chat about various things. Kellyn tells stories of his time as a ranger while Seren gets him up to date on tidbits of her life. The duo explore the Magic Springs. Seren shows Kellyn the wonders. Kellyn places a flower in Seren's hair.

After some wandering, they come across a scene of sorts. A mushroom made to be a table with mushroom chairs next to each other.. Wax formed into candles and lit. There was a bowl of fruit. And one could almost swear they heard a soft song drift through the air. All of this beside a lake with weeping willow trees. Seren looked to one of the trees to see her Keith, Kate, Issac and Latias snickering with some other pokemon. Obviously a set up. But oblivious Kellyn suggested they try the picnic so Seren went along with it.

Latias used her psychic abilities to transform Seren's clothes into a gorgeous lavender gown with sparkles. Kellyn was entranced by the magic but more so with Seren herself. He graciously helped her with her seat. They were awfully close to another, which made Seren feel a little embarrassed for some reason.

"Um…" Kellyn tried to clear his throat. "Seren? You…you've really grown up since the last time I saw you."

"Really?" Seren blushed.

"Yeah…" Kellyn was smiling but looking a little flustered too. "I-I think you're beautiful."

"Thank you." Seren responded, touched. "You're quite handsome yourself."

"Heh. I get that a lot from the ladies. Yet…it means more coming from you." Kellyn sweatdropped.

Their hands touched. But instead of pulling away, Kellyn held on. Seren's heart was beating so fast! Blood rushed to her face, making it heat up! Her stomach was in knots!

"Er…d-do you know much about dancing?" Kellyn suddenly asked.

"Not really. You?" Seren replied.

"Well…a friend of mine, she made me learn. Dragged me to lessons. So I know some simple dances. Want me to teach you?" Kellyn offered.

"I'd like that." Seren agreed.

Kellyn rose from his seat, helping Seren up. He led her to the edge of the lake with the scenic view of the waterfall. Each hand grasped the other; shaking a little. Kellyn carefully taught Seren how to ballroom dance. There was a lot of toe-stepping at first or clumsy slips. The boy was smiling, patient as he taught her. Seren twirled around with grace after time. And she found it was fun to dance. Or…maybe it was fun dancing with Kellyn.

Seren had never forgotten her childhood friend or their close connection. She's always wanted to meet him again. And hoped that maybe as rangers, it'd be possible. Now they were back together again. The friendship they shared was closer than before. Actually, was this friendship anymore? Or something else entirely?

They danced for a long time. The starry sky was soon giving way to light as Seren and Kellyn watched the waters, holding the other close.

"L-listen Seren. I um…er…" Kellyn struggled to speak for a second. "There's this Ranger Festival coming up. Not tomorrow night but the night after. And…well…w-would you come with me? Please?"

Seren glanced to the skies. "Aw no. It's nearly dawn."

"Come with me. I'll protect you at the Union." Kellyn told her.

The girl looked over to see her friends. They were awaiting the sunrise with sorrowful expressions. Soon, they'd become pokemon again. As would Seren.

"Kellyn I…I….I can't." Seren sighed. "There's no way I can abandon my friends. I've got to find some way to help."

"Then I'll come back tomorrow night. With other rangers to fight Darkrai." Kellyn told her, determined.

"He'll only do to you what he did to me." Seren warned.

"I'll risk it for you!" Kellyn insisted.

"And the other rangers?" Seren questioned.

Kellyn grit his teeth, knowing he couldn't endanger his friends. Already his friend Issac was under the curse. And two more rangers-to-be were affected too. Who knows who else?

"Go back to the Union. I'd never live with myself if you got hurt." Seren whispered.

"But…" Kellyn was about to object.

"Do you want to help me?" Seren questioned.

"Of course." Kellyn answered.

"Then find my cousin, Vientown Ranger Luana. Tell her that I'm alright and I'll be home as soon as I can. She doesn't have to worry about me." Seren requested. "Please? For me?"

Kellyn clenched his fist. He took a deep breath, knowing he'd do this for Seren. The sun peaked over the horizon. All of the people went back into their pokemon forms. Issac into rattata, Kate into eevee, Keith into quilava….and Seren back into a swana. Kellyn watched his girl turn into a bird pokemon again. It nearly destroyed him.

"_You have to go, Kellyn."_ Seren sadly murmured.

"On one condition. That you come to the Ranger Festival tomorrow." Kellyn said.

"_Kellyn, I…"_ Seren nearly protested.

"Either you come tomorrow or I stay here with you." Kellyn stubbornly folded his arms.

Seren bowed her head. _"….I'll come to the festival. I promise."_

The swana hopped into the water, shamefully swimming away. Kellyn knew he had to leave. But Seren would fulfill that promise. Until then, he'd be impatiently waiting. The ranger started to leave.

"Oh Issac?" Kellyn looked over at the rattata. "I'm sorry about all this."

"_Not your fault."_ Issac sadly smiled. _"Tell me. Is Rhythmi doing alright?"_

"She's fine. But she does miss you." Kellyn replied.

"_R-really?"_ Issac's breath caught, surprised.

"Yeah. Quite a bit, actually." Kellyn said.

Issac sat down, lost in thought and shocked. _"Rhythmi missed me. __Me__! The girl I've thought about for so long wants to see me again!"_

With that, the ranger set off for Vien Forest and on his way to deliver Seren's message to her cousin.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

From the library, the doors slammed wide open. Mankey gleefully danced about in victory. In his hands was the Book of Vien. The mankey hadn't noticed that there was a murkrow who watched and flew off. Too busy being overjoyed at the find. Right away, mankey left for the lake where all the pokemon were. Well…it was evening again. So they were back to their human selves. The Ranger Festival was in one day.

"_Well done, Mankey."_ Latios said.

"Where was it?" Seren asked.

"_Ah…"_ Mankey sweatdropped. _"Ahem. Well…it was on my chair. I sat on it."_

"_OH COME ON!"_ Latias moaned, face palming.

"Here you are." Mankey handed the book to Seren.

Seren felt the book within her hands. The Soul Drop shimmered, unlocking the silver vines from the book. It was readable! And how conveniently, the book flipped open to the exact page needed.

"The one who frees the Soul Drop…" Seren read. "Must share a love so true."

"True love!" Issac figured out.

"_And Sere's already got a true love! With the ranger!"_ Latias sang.

"Kellyn?!" Seren yelped. "N-not him! It can't be!"

"You're turning as red as Keith's hair." Kate chuckled, with Keith playfully messing up her hair.

"Wait!" Issac stopped them, looking at the book. "I see a 'however'..."

"What's the catch?" Keith asked.

"However, if he swears his love to another, then the Soul Dew loses its power." Issac read.

"_Not fair!"_ Latias huffed.

"_But you underestimate the power of true love."_ Mankey said. _"It's rare but the strongest kind of magic alive."_

"_How rare is it? And how strong? Does it mean introducing parents?"_ Latias asked.

"_More or less."_ Mankey shrugged. _"Two beings love and care about each other more than life itself! They'd die for the other!"_

"_Alone, they are two. Together, they are one_." Latios recited. _"We've already got blossoming love between Kate and Keith."_

Kate and Keith gaped at latios with wide eyes and a dark set of scarlet on their cheeks. They were tempted to deny it but looked too embarrassed to even speak right. Both went into awkward stammering before turning away with even redder faces. Made Seren chuckle.

"_And quite possibly Issac too."_ Latios added.

"ME?" Issac gulped.

"_You do have feelings for this Rhythmi girl, don't you?"_ Latios questioned.

Issac was silent. His mind already wandered to thoughts of the sweet operator.

"_Hey shouldn't we be busy getting Seren ready?"_ Latias asked.

"Ready?" Seren blinked.

"_For the festival, silly!"_ Latias patted her head. _"Imagine it! You walk in and you see him from across the room!"_

Latias looked over at Kate and Keith, waiting for something. The two were completely puzzled by the pokemon. With a sigh, latias flew over.

"_He will ask you to dance!"_ Latias pushed Keith into Kate.

"HEY!" Keith yelped.

"_SAY IT!"_ Latias ordered.

Keith gulped, staring down at Kate as his face grew warm. "I, er,…Kate? Would you like to dance?"

"I guess so…" Kate turned pink.

"_Then, you'll be in his arms!"_ Latias sighed, lost in the moment.

Kate didn't want to make Latias snap again (lest the psychic powers start raging). She wrapped her arms around Keith and slid into an embrace. Awkward. And Keith was thinking the same thing judging by his facial expression.

"_And when the moments right, he'll declare his love for you!"_ Latias announced.

Silence. Keith was staring at the red pokemon in disbelief. Kate wasn't sure what to make of this.

"_Keith."_ Latias growled. _"Declare your love for Kate."_

"WHAT! Why?" Keith questioned.

"_It's part of the demonstration! Seren has to know these things!"_ Latias responded.

"MAKE ME!" Keith stuck out his tongue.

"_OK THAT'S IT!"_ Latias snapped.

With psychic powers, Keith was lifted into the air and thrown into the lake. Everyone else sweatdropped at the weird struggle that was going on.

"_Theatrics aside…"_ Seren spoke up. "I don't think Kellyn would fall for me. We're friends…"

"_A latios can see into the soul of a living being. Know what I see?"_ Latios said. _"I see a kind-hearted, sweet young lady whose bravery and confidence is worth more than the Soul Dew treasure." _

Seren smiled. "Thanks latios."

"_I may not have much energy left but I may be able to help you."_ Latios closed his eyes, lowering his head.

He was using his psychic powers again. Seren was glowing a light blue with magic sparkles. Her dress was changing into something else. The gown was now a strapless ballroom dress with twice as much shine. It was serene mix of light blues and purples that was dazzling under the moonlight. Seren practically looked like a princess!

"You look incredible!" Kate complimented.

"Thanks, Kate." Seren responded, admiring her new dress. "Wow is this fancy…but latios? Problem. I don't know a thing about ballroom dancing?"

Keith came over, wringing out the water from his clothes. "Didn't you dance with Kellyn last night?"

"Basic stuff. I'm still not any good." Seren sighed.

"_Oh not a problem! I can teach you!"_ Latias cheerfully offered.

"Even if you're a pokemon?" Seren sweatdropped.

"_All I need are two volunteers to show you!"_ Latias said.

Keith, sensing something was up, tried to sneak off again. Too late. Latias froze him with her psychic abilities. She forced him to come back over.

"You're out of your mind!" Keith objected furiously.

"Uh latias? Can't you and latios turn into humans to show us?" Kate nervously suggested.

"_True. But it wouldn't be any fun."_ Latias smirked.

The red pokemon then controlled Kate as well. She and Keith were brought together, wrapping each others arms around one another. Some of the other pokemon grabbed forest instruments and played music for this dance; mankey was the conductor. Keith started to glide across the grass with Kate, dancing wonderfully.

"_You getting this Seren?"_ Latias asked.

Seren studied the movements. "I'm starting to see it…"

"LET US GO!" Keith cried out.

"_Not until Seren understands dancing."_ Latias huffed.

"Um Keith? T-this um…it's not so bad…" Kate nervously stammered.

Keith looked away, a peculiar expression on his face. "…I guess not."

"Maybe this would be easier if I tried." Seren advised.

"_Good idea!"_ Latias agreed. _"Issac? Would you mind being Seren's partner?"_

"Not at all." Issac replied.

Issac grabbed Seren and the two copied the movements shown by latias, Keith and Kate. Dancing was easier to focus on. Though it was mostly because of the partner. Seren wasn't exactly feeling anything weird with Issac. Just two friends learning to ballroom dance.

"You look distracted." Seren noticed after some time.

"Hm?" Issac blinked.

"Issac? You ok?" Seren asked.

"Oh! Sorry!" Issac sweatdropped. "I was just thinking!"

"About…?" Seren asked.

Issac hesitated. "Well…um…about a close friend of mine."

Close friend? Seren could assume what that meant. Probably the same close Kate and Keith were, who, by the way, were still dancing under latias' control. Much to their embarrassment.

"That transfer to the Union? I was happy to go but not just because of the opportunities. What I really wanted was to see her again." Issac quietly explained. "I…I never was able to tell her how I really felt."

"Why not?" Seren asked.

"Because she's way too beautiful. And I'm just a researcher. A geek, some would say." Issac sighed.

"But you're really nice, super smart and great to be with! Girls like that in a guy! And I'm sure that girl will see more inside of you than you think!" Seren told him. "Didn't Kellyn mention her? Rhythmi, right?"

"Yes…" Issac smiled slightly at the name.

"I heard he said that Rhythmi missed you. It's obvious that she's thinking about you, Issac, and she's worried. Would normal friends be that concerned?" Seren questioned.

"I guess-…" Issac started to say.

"_HELP! AAAAHHHH!"_

The dancing and music stopped. There was a dark pool opening up in the ground and it was sucking mankey in, along with the book! Seren let go of her dance partner, running over to mankey. But it was too late. He was already swallowed up in the darkness and stolen away.

"Mankey!" Seren called out.

"Damn it!" Keith pounded his fist on a tree in frustration.

Latios was about to hit but found his energy weakening. The dark magic grasping the land and his used up magic on the dance was too much for him. And if that wasn't bad enough, the sun was rising. Everyone turned back into their pokemon forms once more.

"_We can't let Darkrai win."_ Seren whispered.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Mankey had been taken to Darkrai's evil palace. He was tied up in chains and hung upside down from the ceiling. Lavana applied makeup but was paying close attention to what was going on. Darkrai was flipping through the pages of the book, deeply interested.

"_No point lookin in there!"_ Mankey shouted as he wrestled the chains. _"It's all fairy tales and silly stories! You're wasting your time!"_

"_Oh really?"_ Darkrai's grin grew warped and twisted. _"What about this part about the Soul Drop being not so invincible after all? Hm? Latios would surely hate that."_

Defeated, Mankey glared at the enemies.

"_Lavana, darling? Remember that crown you wanted?"_ Darkrai asked his daughter.

"YAY! I'm going to get it aren't it?" Lavana squealed.

"_Tonight at the Ranger Festival! My sources tell me that Seren is going to meet that ranger boy there."_ Darkrai told her.

The pokemon's dark hand flickered black & purple, transferring energy into Lavana. Lavana's pink lipstick and blush turned to a sickening red color.

"Daddy! That was my second favorite makeup kit!" Lavana fussed.

"_It's magic now. Your inherited Zorua powers are finally unlocked"_ Darkrai said. _"Every time that Kellyn boy sees you, you'll look exactly like Seren, his true love."_

"….so?" Lavana questioned.

Darkrai groaned. _"SO. You trick him! Make him think he's dancing with Seren when really, he's dancing with you. And eventually you can make him declare his love for you. The Soul Drop's power will weaken and get rid of that blasted girl Seren. Can I count on your help, my sweet little skitty?"_

"Is lipstick a girls best friend?" Lavana happily responded.

"_That's my girl!"_ Darkrai chuckled. _"With Seren out of the way and the Soul Drop powers lost, our fates will be fulfilled. I shall rule this region in darkness while you, princess, get to be the most dashing girl in it!"_

"I like the sound of that!" Lavana clapped.

"_Who knows what the future holds? We could very well conquer other lands! Dip them into the shadows forever!"_ Darkrai proclaimed.

Lavana laughed evilily alongside her father. Mankey could've sworn his heart stopped. Truly a horrible plan!

"_It'll never work!"_ Mankey snapped.

"_Bold words for a pokemon about to meet his doom."_ Darkrai snarled, casting yet another dark void onto his latest victim.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The pokemon group traveled to the edge of Darkrai's territory. Being there made them shiver in terror. Kate seemed to be the one most upset. Keith slipped his paw on hers, doing his best to comfort her.

"_You think mankey's…?"_ Seren's voice trailed off.

"_No. He's still alive."_ Latios shook his head. _"But he's under a magic spell now."_

Seren looked over the castle. _"When Darkrai isn't using his dark pool, his shadow flies everywhere. Since the bottom is nothing but a deep abyss, he'd instead fly to the top. I'm guessing there's an entrance near the roof. I'll go check."_

"_And what? Have us watch?"_ Latias questioned. _"I can't let my buddy go alone!"_

"_I'll need all of you to help me."_ Seren said.

She gathered everyone into a huddle to relay her plan. It was tricky but might work. Everyone seemed to be in an agreement on it. After a moment of planning and 'good lucks', Seren took off. It was nerve-wrecking to fly in a dark place. But she had to do what she could. Ignore the fear and keep moving forward. For mankey.

Seren flew around the top towers of the palace. Surprisingly, it didn't take much for her to find the entryway. It was an open spot that dove into a long tunnel with many turns. At the end was a fireplace, which Seren carefully avoided, within a grand room. Seren landed on the cold marble flooring. Thankfully, no one else seemed to be around.

"_Mankey?"_ Seren yell-whispered. _"Mankey? Are you here?"_

"_Over here!"_

The swana used her bird legs to hop over to a tree stump. Inside was mankey…but he was transformed into a wurmple. A white & brown, furry wurmple.

"_You gotta help! This blasted curse got me and the murkrow are hungry!"_ Mankey pleaded.

Seren picked mankey up in her mouth. Yuck! Gross! She quickly flipped him on the back of her head. He held on but tensed up as the sound of murkrow approached. As the black birds came in to get the intruders, Seren flew out the way she came in. Murkrow quickly gave chase.

"_Watch it! They're gaining on us!"_ Mankey warned, panicked.

"_No worries. I got this."_ Seren assured him.

A swoop over here and a turn that way. Seren led the three pursuing murkrow back to the woods. And where three pokemon were waiting eagerly.

"_NOW!"_ Seren shouted.

Keith used flamethrower, Kate shot out a shadowball and latias hit with a dragonbreath. All of the murkrow were stuck, fainting on spot.

"_WOO! We are good!"_ Latias cheered.

"_Oh yeah!"_ Keith high-paw'd Kate.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The Union was busy hurrying about. First floor was cleared out so it could be a ballroom. Decorations were hung, snack table set and people starting to come to the party. There were lovely ladies in dresses and gentleman in fine suits & tuxes. Kellyn was off to the side, pacing with anxiety. He tugged at the collar of his black and white tuxedo.

"Kellyn? What're you up to, dude?" Wendy asked.

"Yeah dude. Can't meet any girls when you're over here." Sven said.

"I'm uh…well I'm waiting for someone." Kellyn replied.

"A girlfriend, we hope." Wendy joked.

"Actually, she might be…" Kellyn smiled nervously.

"Congrats dude!" Sven fist-pumped. "Who's the lucky gal?"

"Sven, don't make him nervous." Wendy pushed her partner a little.

"Alright, alright! Later, Kell. Taking my date to get some punch." Sven said.

"I'm not your date." Wendy smacked his head.

"Sure." Sven winked. "_Just_ friends."

Wendy rolled her eyes as Sven dragged her off. That left Kellyn to pace some more by himself. It was evening already. Soon would be night. And with any luck, soon would be the lovely lady's entrance.

"Seren, please come." He whispered, hopeful.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"…_and then Darkrai will use Lavana to trick Kellyn!"_

Everyone gathered around mankey, who was propped on a mushroom (since he was a little wurmple) and retold everything he heard at the dark palace.

"_But it has to be Seren!"_ Latias spoke up, worried.

"_This is terrible!"_ Kate whimpered with Keith holding her paw.

"_What if I go to warn him?"_ Latias suggested.

"_No."_ Seren shook her head_. "I'll go."_

"_Hey there are a dozen poachers ready to capture a perfect swana and rangers who'll capture you for information!"_ Latias warned.

"_It's got to be me! Then Kellyn can actually see he's being tricked!"_ Seren argued.

"…_.good point."_ Latias nodded.

"_Use the Soul Drop to open the waterfall open. Be careful out there."_ Latios instructed.

"_Thank you."_ Seren whispered.

The swana took off, flying high into the sky. It was already evening. Not quite sundown yet. Seren would have to hurry her way to the Ranger Union. And she'd make sure to avoid trouble while passing through Pueltown. With any luck, Seren might be able to warn Kellyn before it was too late.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Activities were picking up at the Ranger Festival. People dancing and talking to one another. Everyone was having fun. Kellyn, though, decided to wait by the sidelines more. He looked around the room. Where's Seren?

"No sign of your special girl?"

Rhythmi came over, sipping punch. Looked nice in her dark green dress. Simple but effective.

"Not yet." Kellyn sighed. "And how'd you…?"

"Sven and Wendy." Rhythmi quickly answered.

Sven was wearing a dark blue tux that matched his hair. He was trying to tease Wendy, who decided to wear a white gown. Wendy snapped at him but Sven laughed it off. The top ranger girl was too stubborn to admit but she was already starting to fall to his charms. They'd be dancing together soon enough.

Strolling into the Union was Lavana, wearing a small black dress and red makeup that flickered upon arrival. Darkrai was but a shadow lurking beside her.

"_Remember? Not one word."_ Darkrai whispered.

"Why not?" Lavana growled.

"_Ah ah ah!"_ Darkrai stopped her_. "Don't speak. Otherwise he'll see through the magic."_

"Fine." Lavana groaned.

Rhythmi left to go refill her punch. Which was fine because Kellyn caught sight of Lavana. But it wasn't Lavana he saw. Poor guy was caught victim under dark magic; seeing Seren's image instead. Kellyn ran right over to her.

"S-Seren! I'm so glad you could make it!" Kellyn greeted, heart beating fast.

"And I…" Lavana started to say.

Darkrai crushed her foot really hard, making Lavana cough. She bashfully smiled instead as she was kept silent. Kellyn didn't seem to notice. He instead bowed courteously, holding out his hand.

"May I have this next dance?" Kellyn asked.

Lavana smiled and slid her hand into his. Together, the two walked onto the dance floor. Arms locked and bodies close. Kellyn was stuck in a lovesick daze as he stared at who he thought was Seren.

Seren, meanwhile, was racing against the clock. She flew at high speeds through the waterfall and over Vien Forest. With the Ranger Festival going on, no rangers were about and poachers had been taken care of. What a relief! It was much easier to get to the Union now!

Darkrai watched the dance with a triumphant look. But his pleasure turned to disgust as he heard wing flaps. Looks like Seren was drawing near. And she was heading for the open window. Darkrai used his powers to slam it shut and lock her out.

The swana gasped. Shoot! So close! She flew a little ways to another open window with a view inside. No! Kellyn was already dancing with Lavana! He had no idea what was really going on! And there was Darkrai! Who shut the windows in Seren's face once again. Seren's wings pounded the glass but to no avail.

"I…I…" Kellyn took a deep breath. "There's been something I've been meaning to tell you."

Wait! Stop! Seren tried to hit the glass! It wasn't breaking! She wasn't able to stop this!

Kellyn stared deep into Lavana's eyes with a serious expression. "I love you. With all my heart and soul. You are my one and only love."

"KELLYN!" Seren screamed.

The Soul Drop on her tiara lost its glow. Its powers were fading rapidly. Seren felt the effects right away. Her head was slammed with intense dizziness and nausea. Breath was caught within the constricted throat. Seren stumbled, fainting. The swana body landed beside the Union in a crumpled heap.

"_Good work, ranger_!" called a voice, shattering the tranquil air of the ball. _"Everything went according to plan!"_

Kellyn whirled around at the familiar voice. Before he could track the source, the lips on 'Seren' flashed bright red. Her appearance melted into Lavana, who shifted into a royal pink & black dress fit for an evil empress.

"YOU!" Kellyn growled.

"When's the wedding, handsome?" Lavana mocked.

Darkrai appeared before her, causing the entire population of the festival to freak out.

"What did you do with Seren?" Kellyn angrily demanded.

"It's too late for your precious girlfriend." Darkrai sneered. "Your love was pledged to my daughter. And you sealed the fate."

Darkrai whisked himself and Lavana away into a dark pool. Sven tossed his top styler to Kellyn but the duo were gone before a chance to battle came. Kellyn stood in a daze, heartbroken and worried for Seren's safety.

Outside the Union, the sun had gone down. Seren was still unconscious but transformed back to her human form. Darkrai and Lavana approached her with devious smirks. They surrounded Seren.

"_What a lovely little girl. Too bad your hero doesn't love you."_ Darkrai sneered, plucking the crown off of Seren. _"Let's see your bravery when I take the Soul Drop away from you."_

"Daddy? Aren't you forgetting something?" Lavana edgily questioned.

The Soul Drop was plucked from the crown and placed on Darkrai's neck. Darkrai gave the empty tiara to his daughter, who wore it with joy.

"_All yours."_ Darkrai said.

"I love it!" Lavana squealed, jumping about. "It so matches my make up!"

"HIYAH!"

From the side, Kellyn leapt out and tried to karate kick Darkrai. Darkrai dodged it with a hearty laugh. Kellyn readied the top styler and aimed it at Darkrai. Rhythmi had followed him outside out of worry. But now she was completely stunned with this strange scene. What the heck was going on?

"_Come to propose to my daughter?" _Darkrai bitterly joked.

A capture disk was launched but Darkrai quickly launched his own dark magic. The disk was turned into a mere pebble. Kellyn stumbled back, unsure how to proceed.

From around the corner came a carriage. It was a pretty one in bright pink & blue. Latias and latios were the ones pulling it while Keith, Kate and Issac sat in the back. They arrived to the scene, horrified at the sight.

"We're too late!" Kate exclaimed.

"No, she has some life force yet! She's still alive!" Latios told her.

Keith and Issac leapt out of the carriage to go over. Kellyn saw them, getting an idea what to do.

"Come and get me, hags!" He taunted.

"HE DID NOT JUST CALL ME A HAG!" Lavana screeched.

"_That does it!"_ Darkrai spat.

The dark pokemon gathered energy into a dark void again. Kellyn danced to the left and right, making Darkrai try to aim. Not easy with a moving target. At the last possible moment, Darkrai shot out the dark void and Kellyn dragged Lavana into it. Lavana screamed as her body was changed into that of a croagunk.

"My baby!" Darkrai flew over to her side. "Daddy's sorry!"

Perfect opportunity. Issac helped lift Seren into Keith's arms.

"Issac?"

Issac looked over to see a girl running his way.

"R-Rhythmi!" The genius gasped.

"Yo! Issac! We have to go! NOW!" Keith reminded, starting to jog back to the carriage.

"Don't go! Please don't go!" Rhythmi pleaded, about to cry.

It hurt to see Rhythmi look so hurt. No doubt she really missed him. Issac didn't have a choice though. With a heavy heart, he kissed her forehead and caressed her cheek.

"I'm so sorry." Issac whispered, trembling. "But there's something I need to do."

After a final look over the gorgeous operator, Issac turned and ran back to the carriage. He hoped inside where the others where. Kate was tending to Seren with Keith ready to help, looking just as uneasy. Everyone was there. Latios and latias took off once again.

"_BLAST!"_ Darkrai cursed as he saw the carriage speed off. _"They got away!"_

"_Daddy! Look how ugly I am! FIX ME!"_ Lavana ordered.

Darkrai growled. He didn't have time for this. They were getting away! There wasn't a chance to change Lavana back at the moment. Darkrai turned into a shadow and flew off within the wind, ignoring the irritable cries of his daughter.

The carriage was dashing through the Vien Forest at this point. Sky was getting darker. Not too much farther to Magic Springs.

"_I-is she ok?"_ Latias asked.

Her answer was three very worried looks. And that was the least of their troubles. Several feet high in the air was Darkrai. He was in hot pursuit of the group. Latios and latias knew what to do. They used their psychic abilities to lift the carriage, flying them through the forest at a faster rate. The waterfall opened for them. Both the carriage and Darkrai ducked through the opening. Back into Magic Springs they were though they didn't just stop there.

Darkrai, frustrated, used his magic on a tree in front of the carriage. Latios and latias barely had enough time to steer away. But the sudden turn made the carriage tip over, crashing it straight into the ground. Everyone cried out as they endured the rough landing. Issac helped keep Seren steady, Keith threw himself over Kate protectively while latios took the full blunt of the fall for his sister.

"_Much better. You know I hate rushing around like this."_

The shadow came out, shifting back into Darkrai's original form.

"_Now for the girl…"_ Darkrai started to float closer.

"_STOP!"_ Latias shouted, standing before him.

Keith and Issac joined her. They blocked Darkrai from going any further.

"Stop, Darkrai." Latios flew over. _"Your battle is with me. Not Seren."_

Darkrai cackled. _"You're right, latios."_

Darkrai prepared another dark void while latios tried to charge up a luster purge. However, the shadow pokemon was slightly quicker. He was able to get latios in the dark void before luster purge was ready. After a few seconds, latios emerged from the dark void….but as a bidoof.

"_Brother!"_ Latias whimpered.

The sisters despair quickly turned to fury. She tried to use a take down attack but missed. Her head crashed into a tree, making latias confused. Keith and Issac still stood against Darkrai but had to fumble a few steps backwards. There wasn't anything they could really do, human or pokemon. One of them tried to throw a rock but Darkrai crushed it.

"_Is that it? All you've got?"_ Darkrai shouted.

Arriving late to the party was a doduo, with Kellyn and Rhythmi riding on top. They hopped off, gaping at the sight. It was most likely safe to assume Rhythmi had been caught up to speed on everything but Issac was still terrified for her life. She shouldn't be here! Not in this danger!

Seren moaned, feeling one heck of a headache. She wearily opened her eyes. Alive? Was she still alive? Yes! But this wasn't good! Kellyn stood against Darkrai, who flew closer to him. That capture styler wouldn't be able to defeat the nightmare pokemon! Kellyn was in trouble! Shots were fired, barely missing the ranger. Seren jumped out of the carriage (ignoring Kate's pleas to stay put) and ran after the two in battle.

"_You think a scawny human can defeat a powerful pokemon like me?"_ Darkrai yelled.

"KELLYN!" Seren screamed.

Kellyn ran up to her, holding the girl in his arms. The pair shook as their faces were pale with fear.

"No! Seren! You don't have the Soul Drop!" Kellyn shouted.

Darkrai used a shadow ball instead of a dark void this time. It struck down on Kellyn and Seren like lightning, making them cry out in pain. They blacked out mid-attack, on the edge of death. Even as they fell to the ground, their arms wrapped around each other in a loving embrace.

"_Two for one!"_ Darkrai laughed again. _"And now! This Magic Springs and Vien Forest! THEY ARE MINE!"_

Keith and Issac watched in horror as they guarded their girls from the monstrous pokemon. Darkrai went on to proclaim that Almia was in his grasp and soon, the world. This was it. It was all over. Evil had won.

…or did it?

The Soul Drop on Darkrai's neck started to glow back to its purple hue. The light was even stronger than it had ever been before! Darkrai shrieked as the light made his body freeze up and hover high into the air. Sparks of light danced off the crystal. It was starting to make Darkrai surrounded by an aura of light.

"_T-the crystal's power! It's still here!"_ Latias realized.

As the light grew brighter and Darkrai's screams louder, the darkness of the Magic Springs vanished. The palace came crumbling down. Those trapped under Darkrai's rule were set free. Light was restored to the places once plagued by shadows. Life began anew. Latios started glowing as well, shifting back into his dragon form once more. Issac, Kate and Keith were flickering, feeling the curse being lifted from their bodies. The sun was rising but they weren't transforming! Victory!

"_The legend! True love!"_ Latias said.

"It was Seren and Kellyn's love that saved us all!" Kate spoke.

The two people in question opened their eyes slowly. They found themselves holding the other close, staring at their light-filled eyes. Kellyn carefully assisted Seren to a standing position, looking at her with a gentle expression.

"Seren." He whispered.

"Kellyn." Seren murmured.

"I was tricked. It's you I love." Kellyn confessed. "You're the only girl I could ever want."

Seren smiled. She pecked the lips of her love and gently rested her head on his shoulders. That was her answer.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

It took some time for things to properly settle down. The Union decided to clean up the mess and not ask questions about what happened. Instead, another festival was thrown in its place. More people showed up this time. Nothing weird happened this time.

"What a party!" Keith took a huge gulp of punch.

Kate giggled. "Keep drinking so much and you'll have a sugar high!"

"Too late! Feeling the rush!" Keith whoop'd. "…huh? Hey what are you smiling about?"

"What's not to smile about?" Kate questioned.

"Hmm. Well there's the fact we're human again." Keith said.

"And we're back in Almia." Kate added.

"Oh! And we've been assigned to Vientown base! It's supposed to be super cool!" Keith pointed out.

"Plus we….um…" Kate paused.

Keith blinked, confused. "Plus what?"

"Plus…" Kate blushed. "W-we're partners. We get to stay together. No matter what."

Keith turned pink. He remembered what he had said during their time in Magic Springs. And right now, he didn't feel any different. Kate still looked cute. Adorable, actually. That pink dress made her look like a fairy. Keith really wanted to see her with her hair down. But then again, he might lose it if he were to see that.

"So…uh…" Keith sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "Y-you wanna dance?"

"Really?" Kate gasped.

"I-it'd be an honor." Keith said, nearly tripping over his words.

He carefully grasped Kate's delicate hand and led her out to the dance floor. Used to hate dancing. Now? Keith found himself liking it. Staring into the eyes of the once-eevee, the ex-quilava smoothly danced across the room.

Somewhere else, Rhythmi sat by a windowsill watching. Romance was in the air! What a great atmosphere! Though with everyone paired up, she felt a little lonely herself.

"For you, my dear." A voice suddenly spoke up.

Rhythmi gasped as a red rose was presented to her. The one holding it was Issac, dressed in a classy white tux. He looked so handsome in that! Rhythmi burned up just staring at him!

"I-Issac! That's so sweet!" Rhythmi teared up.

The rose was carefully tucked into her hair. Issac helped the operator up before they started walking.

"W-what's the occasion?" Rhythmi shyly asked.

"It's an apology. For disappearing like that." Issac answered.

"I already forgive you. Nobody knew that you were turned into a pokemon and held captive." Rhythmi told him. "As long as you're here now and you're safe, I'm happy."

"Yes but…but I didn't want you to worry about me. I heard from Kellyn you missed me." Issac said.

"Ummmm…" Rhythmi gulped.

"I'm really sorry for that. I would never want you to be upset." Issac apologized. "All I want is to see you smile. To know you're ok. During my time as a rattata, it's all I wished for. You were the only one I thought about."

Rhythmi hugged him. She sobbed a little in his chest, emotional. Issac stroked her head as he whispered words of comfort. It was a minute before Rhythmi leaned up and kissed his lips. Issac happily complied, returning the gesture. After torn apart by darkness, Rhythmi and Issac were together again.

Latias and latios were at the ball. But no one knew they were pokemon. With powers returned to them, they could use their full abilities. Including the one where they'd look like humans. It'd be useful since they could stay in the Magic Springs and explore Almia. Not to mention keeping an eye on croagunk Lavana and her daddy, the Darkrai who was turned into a watch.

However the real love was being shared by Kellyn and his new ranger partner. They spent the entire night glued to each others side. Barely even spent time at the snack table or sitting down. Couldn't help but dance away, growing deeper and deeper in love. If that was even possible.

"You are positively enchanting in that white silk dress." Kellyn sighed pulling Seren closer.

"You're not so bad yourself. You look good in a tux." Seren smiled.

"Of course." Kellyn pompously said. "I'm a prince with his elegant princess."

"Well mister prince, what happens now?" Seren giggled.

"Sweetheart, we'll stay in this castle we call the Union. And we'll make sure the kingdom of Almia is kept peaceful forever more." Kellyn told her. "The two of will live happily ever after."

"I love the sound of that." Seren touched foreheads, staring deep in his eyes. "And I love you."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Talk about a story! Wrote 42 word document pages! Longest yet!**

**Chia: Yet.**

**I ignored being sick to write late into the night and early morning, barely took a break and studied the movie (despite it being cheesey). All for my coauthor and the fan who requested the story!**

**Chia: Next update?**

**I WRITE 40-SOMETHING PAGES IN LESS THAN 12 HOURS AND YOU ASK FOR AN UPDATE ALREADY?!**

**Chia: I don't. The readers do.**

***sweatdrop* I'll get started soon. Next update around the corner.**

_P.S. If there are any editing mistakes, I'll fix later. First I need a break and maybe a nap…_


	14. Special: Announcement!

**Chia: …no chapter?**

**After Swan Lake? I need a couple hours of break time before I get back into the writing groove. I'll be updating Distorted Mayhem next with my coauthor, then work on Metallic & Kid Icarus Rebound. But I post this on the crossovers cause I wanna talk to my viewers about something.**

**Chia: You do realize the number of viewers has dropped?**

***sweatdrop* Yeah.**

**Chia: I guess you got lamer in your old age.**

**I AM NOT OLD! *hot glues the pachirisu to the wall* AHEM. Anyways, I need to talk ideas with you guys. I'm thinking of experimenting with several story ideas to put in my crossover collection. I said I'd do Peter Pan but I'm not sure how it'll work out. Monsters Inc is on hold until I can find an online site that has the movie. Or I find a DVD rental that has it (it's been sold out because of the upcoming sequel this summer). **

**Chia: So you have more ideas?**

**Kind of. I want the readers to review ideas. They then tell me what they think, what they want to see most or even if they have ideas of their own to send in. I'll take the time to read everything over.**

**Chia: SPEAK YOUR IDEAS OH GRAND IDIOT MASTER!**

**First idea, looney tunes. I was thinking of a series of gags in one/two chapters with our Almia crew as the looney tunes characters. All the classic characters.**

**Second idea, Awkwardville. Me and my coauthor came up with it. Kind of like one of those old tv shows about a strange town with all sorts of people. We look into the lives who get entangled within each other. Be it the Village Idiot, the witch, an adventurer, resident scientist, etc. **

**Third idea, crossover with the anime Shugo Chara. Or something close to it. I actually do recommend the anime/manga to those who don't know it. Super cool.**

**Fourth idea, something romantic? It's a vague idea that's plagued me. All I hint is a 7 night ball and love blossoming between a prince in disguise & a broken spirit. Normally a Kate and Keith thing, I could substitude it with Lunick and Solana should it be requested.**

**Chia: Okey dokey! Readers, you tell Sky what you think of these ideas! Review away! And send in your own ideas if you want to!**


	15. Almia Ball

**GEEZ! It took me two freaking weeks to complete this story! I don't usually spend so long!**

**Chia: **_**Someone's**_** overcompensating. *eye roll***

**Okey dokey! I looked through all the views and I am very happy to see participants! Lot of people want to see Lunick and Solana. Will totally figure out how to incorporate them soon enough! Working on it! **

**Chia: Then the idea you chose for this chapter…?**

**The fourth one mentioned in the announcement. Something that had been on my mind awhile. Plus a lot of votes yes for this one. Hope you guys like Kate and Keith adorableness! Though its original, this story does have the faint traces of Cinderella in it.**

**Chia: Fair enough. What about future updates?**

**First let me rest! I just wrote 46 pages of this fanfic for nearly two weeks! Readers? Read, review and enjoy. Look at our closing remarks after the storys over. You may find your idea there.**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

There was a wonderful land with lush forests and open country plains. Even islands flourished on the open seas. From the blizzards of west Hia Valley to scorching deserts of east Haruba this place stretched. People and pokemon were happy in the ever peaceful region of Almia.

This story started out as all stories do. A man and woman met, falling very much in love with each other. They married and soon had a baby. The baby was a beautiful girl with soft light brown hair and striking blue eyes filled with wonder. Her name was Kate.

Kate grew up in a happy home on Boyleland Island with parents who adored her. Her beauty only increased as the years passed. But it was the spirit that shined. Kate took care of the islands pokemon when they were ill, helped the neighbors and made many friends. The little girl's true passion was music. People would sometimes hear a soft melody play through the warm air, feeling relaxed. All was well. For a time.

When Kate was 9, the volcano on the island shook. There was barely any time to warn the village before the explosions came. Lava tumbled down the volcano, avalanches of rock following behind. Few people were rescued from the tragedy. Both parent's lives were sacrificed in order to save their daughter from certain death.

The sad little girl was sent to Pueltown to live with her only living relatives; Aunt April and cousins Ice, Lavana and Heath. Kate loved her family dearly and Aunt April cared for her as well. However, the cousins held a strong spite against Kate. Ice wasn't the center of attention anymore. Lvana envied Kate's beauty. Heath didn't want to babysit a little kid who was way too cheerful. The cousins did their best to hide the hate in front of their mother. They could sense that their time for vengeance would come.

One year after Kate's parents died, Aunt April passed away from illness. Kate was left in the care of her older cousins. And the cousins true feelings and personalities came out. They expressed their hatred in every way possible. Verbal assault and physical abuse constantly shattered the girls strong spirit. All the chores fell to Kate; the cousins treated her like a slave. Strict rules were set. Rules that could be almost possible to follow and would bring harsh punishment if broken.

Kate was miserable. Her clothes were old and worn, covering the many bruises and gashes on her pale skin. Some injuries were worse. It was miraculous she hadn't died. Kate wasn't allowed in the street except for errands. Every day, she was struck with firsts and/or harsh words. Always to make her feel worthless. It was a lonely, painful life.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Ugh…this thing's way too itchy!"

Keith threw the frilly shirt off, tossing it on the floor. He slipped on his usual shirt and left the dressing room. A maid went in to pick up the shirt, fold it and hurried to put it away. The redhead groaned, collapsing into a chair exhausted.

"That's the 27th outfit, Keith." Erma, his mother, sighed. "Why are you being difficult?"

"You know I hate trying on clothes! Especially the itchy, stuffy ones!" Keith moaned.

Erma was about to object when her husband stopped her.

"Dear, he just wants to be comfortable when he's at the ball. Can't have him irritable when meeting women." Hastings said.

Keith smiled. Dad always had his back.

"I understand." Erma nodded. "We'll try another set with different material."

Servants did as asked, getting rid of one outfit set for another. They were enthusiastic about this next batch. Told the King and Queen that Keith might like it. And judging on the look of things, Keith thought so too. He was relieved that he wouldn't wear a stifling uniform. So much fuss over a fancy ball. But Keith understood it was a special event.

For centuries, Almia held a tradition. The royal family's children were kept a mystery to the public. They'd be shown on rare occasions such as the regions anniversary but only for a quick cameo. No speaking at all. Not a single person outside the castle even knew the kids names. They were supposed to be secretive with information.

Then comes the Almia Ball. Everyone in the region would be invited and those from other regions would be considered to join if they asked. It was a grand party in the castle with the best of everything. All people the same gender as the child the party's hosted for were instructed to disguise themselves. During the dance, the grown up child would slip in (disguised as well) and search for their true love. Someone to see past the mysterious exterior to who they really were. The child had always found their true love at this ball as did many Almian citizens. This ball was held in the highest regard.

Now it was Keith's turn. He had no objections to partying or meeting women. Just trying on clothes and how everyone made such a big deal over it. Had to find something perfect to hide in. The workers at the castle eagerly gave Keith romance advice but while he listened, he paid no heed. After awhile, it got annoying.

"Try this." Hastings suggested, handing Keith a new set of clothes.

A navy blue outfit with black décor and buttons. Elegant but easy to blend in. The fabric was as smooth as silk. Keith hurried into the dressing room to put it on as his mother fussed over details. Worried over if it was a good color for him or something. Hastings kept reassuring her that Keith would look fine. The parents meant well. They only wanted to see their only son happy.

The story was told many times. Erma was a girl visiting from Fiore. No intention to go to the ball but at her sisters urging, she did. Hastings met and fell in love with her on the third night. Several years later, they married. Eventually, though, they ran into trouble. The two dreamed of having a family but couldn't conceive. All the medicine and doctors knowledge couldn't give them that much-wanted child. Years passed and hope was lost. Keith had been an unexpected miracle that came late into their lives. Born with good looks and spiky red hair, a legendary symbol of luck. All those years waiting had paid off with a charming prince as their son.

"Oh my goodness!" Erma teared up. "You look so dashing!"

Keith heard it as he stepped out of the dressing room. He glanced in the mirror with a smirk. He did look good. Navy blue worked well for him. And this outfit was super comfy; easy to move around in. Keith gathered a few black accessories to complete the disguise. A pair of boots, a western styled hat and a mask that went over the eyes. He mentally noted a rose in the pocket might add a touch of grace plus help win over a lady of his choosing.

"Hold on." Hastings handed Keith something. "Keith, take this."

A cape. It was a black cape with navy edges that glistened in the right light.

"I wore this when I first met your mother. I'd like to pass it on to you." Hastings told his son.

"Thanks dad." Keith responded.

He slipped the cape on. There. Now the outfit for the ball was complete. Soon, Keith would don these clothes to find his supposedly true love. Kind of a skeptical idea. Meeting your one and only this way. But hey. Keith was born lucky.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

What a nice day. Sunshine and an ocean breeze blowing in. Kate paused a moment to enjoy it. How could you not smile? This weather with a marketplace full of fresh supplies and everyone so happy. People seemed to be excited about something or another. And that left Kate in a good mood.

"_Kate!"_

A pachirisu leapt up on Kate's pigtailed head. Kate scratched the pokemon'n chin.

"Did you find any stand that's selling mangos?" Kate asked.

"_I heard big news!"_ Chia told her eagerly. "_Rumor has it that the Almia Ball is coming soon!"_

"Really?" Kate was surprised.

She heard the stories. A mysterious ball with a prince (or princess) shrouded among the crowd to search for their love. There was dancing, lots of food and each of the seven nights were filled with fun. Kate had always wanted to attend that ball, even if for one night only. Just to see what it was like. Maybe even meet a new friend.

"Chia? Did you find mangos?" Kate asked, snapping back to reality.

"_Right…"_ Chia sweatdropped. _"No mangos anywhere. Not today."_

Damn. Kate would already face Lavana's wrath because the requested makeup was sold out. Now Heath's mangos weren't here.

"We better go before my cousins get mad." Kate sighed, gripping the shopping bags.

"_Madd__er_." Chia corrected.

"Right." Kate mumbled.

The two made their way through Pueltown, past the busy crowds. Everyone was bustling over news of the Almia Ball that may or may not be coming. Kate found a clock by one of the store fronts. She was already late. No doubt wrath would occur. Maybe by all three cousins if Ice was in a nasty mood. Kate already anticipated the pain the attacks would bring.

"Waaaaaahhhhh!"

Stop. There was someone crying close by. Sure Kate was late but no way could she ignore something like that. The sound came from the center plaza, where a girl with dark brown hair and goggles was weeping. Easy to recognize. That was Summer, daughter of the bookshop owner. Kate sees her often when picking up Ice's things or Lavana's fashion magazines. Both Kate and Chia walked over to meet the crying girl.

"Hey? Are you ok?" Kate quietly asked, sitting beside her.

Summer sniffled. She wiped her eyes to look at Kate.

"I-I know you." Summer's breath was in gasps. "You're a…a regular customer. Kate, right?"

Kate nodded. "What's wrong?"

"It's my friend. I really like him. Have been for a long time." Summer looked down. "B-but he only sees me as a nerdy book lover. Always teases me."

Summer shook a little. Tears spilled out as hiccups started up.

"T-today…this girl. I was going to tell Ben I liked him. B-ut this girl was already there. And she….she asked him out on a date!" Summer wailed.

Ben? Spiky brown haired Ben with the trickster pichu? He was son to a pair of clothing shop owners. Though the boy preferred music more than fashion. Kate saw him with Summer a lot, always smiling. It was obvious that he liked her.

"Did he say yes?" Kate asked.

"I ran off before I could hear his answer." Summer muttered.

"Well maybe you have hope!" Kate grinned.

"Hope?" Summer echoed, confused.

"Ben could've said no! He might have refused! And why would he? Because it's possible that he likes you." Kate encouraged. "Think about it. All the times you two laughed and goofed off with the ukulele. The smiles shared. Who's always there for you when you need it?"

Summer thought about it. "…he once got bit by a houndour just to save me."

"See?"

The crying girl was crying no more. The last few tears were gone. Summer stammered a bunch of thank you's all at once.

"Any time!" Kate chuckled. "Now go get him!"

Summer giggled and dashed off. Kate, feeling happy she could help, rose from her seat. No doubt those two would get together. They were already a cute couple. But that was that. Right now? Kate was incredibly late. Better start running.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"YOU ARE SO LATE YOU LITTLE BRAT!"

Kate was met with that scream and a slam against the wall upon returning home. Chia went into hiding since the cousins disapproved of any pokemon living in the house. Well…pokemon that weren't theirs.

"What took you?" Lavana questioned, grabbing the bags.

"I…I was just trying to get everything on the list…" Kate whimpered.

"You better have found everything." Lavana growled.

The pink haired woman searched through the bags in a hurry. Kate held her breath, counting the seconds. One. Two. Three. Four…

"Where's my makeup?!" Lavana screeched.

POW!

A fist to the face. Kate fell to the ground. A large, yellow clad man known as heath stomped in as he heard the noise. His thick accent asked about the mangos as he looked through the bags. Then Kate was met with kicks and a string of curses.

"You no hope Ice be mad." Heath sneered as he finished. "He be back in a few hours. He leave you chores. You do before he gets back."

"And don't forget to do the laundry." Lavana huffed.

The two left with their stuff. Kate got back up, dizzy from the rounds she went through. Everything not taken was put back in its place. Ice's chore list was posted on the fridge. The typical long list of work to do. It'd take all afternoon and evening.

"_Are they gone?"_ Chia whispered.

"You're cool." Kate replied.

Chia appeared from her hiding spot, under the front door mat. Perched herself on Kate's shoulder to peer at the list.

"_Oof."_ Chia sweatdropped at the lengthy list of chores.

"I better get started." Kate sighed.

"_Let me help!"_ Chia offered. _"I can do some of this stuff!"_

"Are you sure?" Kate asked, unsure.

"_You saved my life when I barely hatched! And you became my best, and only, friend! Now I stay with you to help make your life a little more bearable."_ Chia answered with determination.

Kate hugged the little pokemon. "You're the best!"

Together, both began the chores. Kate had done them many times, knowing what to do and which task had more priority. Laundry was always the highest priority of the chores. Three people with truckloads of clothes. At least the color scheme (pink, yellow and white blue) made it easy to prevent any mixup. Even the underwear was easy to tell who wore what. Hard to believe these three very different people were related.

Sweeping and mopping were very constant since the trio always tracked in mud. Chia loved to make games out of these two chores like 'sponge soap skating'. It left Kate to pick up living room clutter. Lavana left old magazines about while Heath spilled junkfood. Cheesepuffs on the sofa and soda on the carpet. Ugh. Took awhile to get rid of the stains. Thankfully Ice was a neat freak about his stuff.

Clean the glutters. Change lightbulbs. Wash and dry dishes. Vacuum carpets. Dusting. Take out trash. Everything. Kate and Chia handled it all. Barely on time too. Kate was setting dinner on the table as Ice arrived home.

"What's the menu for tonight, loser?" Ice questioned in a cold tone.

"Spagetti." Kate replied.

Ice glared at her. Then inspected the food and the rooms. Kate waited for criticism or another heavy bruise.

"You _just_ finished? Be quicker next time, noob. Or you'll be sorry." The blue haired man threatened.

Well…it was a hurtful threat but at least Kate was unscathed for the moment. Lavana and Heath came to sit at the table. Kate started on dishes. It was another rule that Kate wouldn't eat until the cousins were finished. At least they didn't see Chia hide in the cupboards, munching on a slice of baked bread Kate snuck her.

"So I was delivered something while working at Altru." Ice announced.

"Does it concern us?" Lavana questioned, bored.

"It should." Ice held up four cards. "Invitations to the Altru Ball."

Lavana gasped, overjoyed. She snatched her card right away. Kate found herself listening intently.

"So what?" Heath took his invitation.

"Ladies all dressed up, waiting for a man to sweep her away. Snacks galore. Plus our sister has a chance to marry that prince. We'd be rich beyond our wildest dreams!" Ice told him.

Heath got into the idea, looking over his card. Kate noticed Ice was holding his but there was another. Did that mean…?

"Um…Ice?" Kate shyly spoke up. "Am I invited too?"

The cousins stared at her with weird looks. Kate felt scared as their eyes pierced right through her like arrows. Even more when they had twisted smirks.

"Isn't that cute? The runt wants to go to the ball." Lavana mocked.

"She much too stupid!" Heath scorned.

"And ugly!" Lavana added.

The two cousins roared with laughter. Kate turned red from the humiliation. Ice was even snickering a little, crumpling up one of the invintations. The piece of crumpled paper was then tossed at the girls head.

"Dream on, weirdo." Ice remarked. "You'll help us get ready for that ball but there's no way in hell you're going. Face it. You're dirty, quiet, pathetic and brainless. Can't even handle the shopping right. What makes you think you deserve a high class treat when you're worthless?"

Kate stood there, head bowed low. A tear rolled down her cheek. Her soul was crushed by the words. The rest of dinner was eaten quickly, with everyone going off to plan for the ball. Kate waited till they were in their rooms before bending down to pick up the wrinkled card. It was white and gold with fancy edges & lettering. Kate's name was at the top, above the invitation to the ball.

"_You should go!"_ Chia poked out of hiding.

"I can't…" Kate whispered.

"_Just cause those jerks said so? Lame."_ Chia rolled her eyes. _"You have as much right to be there as anyone!"_

"B-but they were right! Look at me!" Kate stammered. "I don't even have a dress for an occasion like that. Old t-shirts aren't going to cut it."

"_Kate? Don't you want to go?"_ Chia asked.

"Yeah…" Kate looked over the card. "I want to escape for a night or two. Maybe…maybe find a friend."

"_Good enough reason! You earned it!"_ Chia said.

"Well…" Kate still hesitated.

"_We'll find a way to get a dress. If you have one, will you please go? Even if its for one night?"_ Chia pleaded.

"Alright." Kate agreed.

"_YAY!"_ Chia cheered.

The pachirisu already was going on and on about the ball. Kate listened as she cleaned up the mess, knowing she may end up staying home. Though a part of her held hope. A small piece of hope that she'd get to see the magnificent ball with her own eyes.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Next was chaotic. Almia Ball started that night so all the cousins were getting ready. Especially Lavana. She freaked out about dresses, make up, hair and everything in between. Her brothers helped best they could since they needed her to become wealthy. Kate assisted as needed. However she soon could herself out shopping for a random list of assorted items. Lipstick, fabric, cuffs and such. Chia tagged along as well.

"Kate!"

Kate turned to see Summer and Ben running up to her. Hard to miss that they were holding hands.

"Hi guys!" Kate greeted.

"We're dating!" Summer squealed.

"She, heh, cornered me and confessed she liked me. Beat me right to the punch. I was going to tell her the same thing later on." Ben smiled proudly with pink in his cheeks.

"Congratulations!" Kate applauded.

"It's all thanks to you! My best friend is now the most adorable boyfriend! And he's taking me to the ball!" Summer sang.

"Are you going?" Ben asked.

"Oh…I can't." Kate shook her head. "I…uh…I don't have a dress."

"That's all? I can help you with that." Ben offered.

"Yeah! Ben's parents are selling dresses for the ball tonight! I can help you find the most perfect dress!" Summer chirped.

"I can't afford a dress." Kate sheepishly admitted.

"No problem. I'm sure my parents won't mind letting a dress go. Or at least rent it." Ben assured. "Actually, my folks are escatic that I got girlfriend."

"They said I'm cute and good influence." Summer giggled.

"_See, Kate? See?"_ Chia poked her friend's head. "_They're giving you a dress! A sure sign you should go!"_

Good point. Ben and Summer said they were ok with giving Kate a dress to wear. And Kate did promise Chia to go if a dress was found. Why not?

"Sure." Kate accepted.

"YAY! Let's go! Right now!" Summer decided.

Kate's arm was grabbed and dragged through Pueltown. The three cousins passed in thought for a moment. But they were occupied with themselves and the ball. Safe to assume they wouldn't notice if Kate was gone slightly longer today. Summer was hustling Kate over to the shop while Ben was right behind them. Not far at all. The clothes shop was actually a nice place. Normally filled with all sorts of clothing that people liked but today it was specially made for formal stuff. Never before had Kate seen so many new dresses!

"Whoa…" Kate gasped.

"Isn't it amazing?" Summer gushed. "Now let's find you the most absolutely perfect dress ever!"

Kate was dragged once again through the shop. Summer picked off a lot of dresses and colors that might look good. It was immediately decided no yellow, pink or light blue. Kate didn't want her cousins colors on her. And nothing skimpy. It was a royal ball, not some night club. The dress had to be special for this.

Trying on dresses was like in the movies. Lots of dresses and posing with friends judging the appearance. Could almost imagine the girly music in the backgr-…oh wait. Summer did play some after all. Typical of her.

"Not bad."

"Way too puffy."

"It's…meh."

"Kinda nice."

"EW! Orange is so not your color!"

"So is that a maybe?"

Dozens of dresses were worn and put aside. A few possible options but nothing seemed to stand out or fit just right. Summer provided most of the fashionista advice while Ben hung back, watching and occasionally voicing an opinion.

"How many dresses are left?" Summer asked as Kate went back in the dressing room.

"Just one." Kate replied, slipping the last dress off.

Oh? This one looked optimistic. A long, sleeveless dress made of a very soft material that felt cool to the touch. It was a light lavender color that, while basic, was an exquisite color. Kate quickly got in the dress to find it very comfortable and the size was perfect. She had a confident feeling as she stepped outside the dressing room.

Summer gasped. "Oh. My. GOSH."

"Is this any good?" Kate asked.

"Heck yeah it's good! That dress is the one we're looking for! It's the one!" Summer cheered.

"Gotta admit. Not bad at all." Ben gave a thumbs up.

"_You look so pretty!"_ Chia gazed in awe.

It was decided. The purple dress was Kate's. Kate was allowed to pick out purple slippers and a lilac hairpin to accessorize. Summer even let her take a see-through, sparkly scarf.

"You guys are so nice to me!" Kate was getting a bit emotional.

"That's what friends are for, silly!" Summer said. "You helped me and now I get to help you! Maybe you'll meet the prince, thanks to us!"

Kate laughed. "I just want to dance and have fun! Meet a friend if I'm lucky."

"Who _wouldn't_ wanna be friends with you?" Summer questioned.

"By the way, how long have we been trying on dresses?" Kate remembered suddenly.

"About two and a half hours. Close to three." Ben replied.

Cutting it close. Would the cousins notice anything? Kate wrapped up her dress and snuck it into a bag with the other items. There were a few things to get on the list before Kate went back home. Chia took the bag to Kate's room, stowing it in a safe place. Meanwhile Kate went to give her cousins the stuff they requested.

"That better be Radiant Ruby lipstick shade number 34. Not 22." Lavana hissed as Kate delivered the items.

"It's 34. I double checked." Kate assured.

"And is there glitter?" Lavana challenged.

"Gold, silver, pink and red. I assumed you didn't want the black." Kate told her, hoping she made the right choice.

"Finally. The little twit made a smart move." Lavana muttered under her breath.

During the rest of the day, Kate got a little bit of a break from the usual torment she was put under. One slap, a push and some bitter insults were all she got. Which was a change from the usually cruel conditions. It gave Kate time to dream about the ball and plan how to get there. Not hard. It'd be easy to get to the castle and back. Chia offered to stay home to watch the house as well as help Kate get ready. No need to worry!

Evening came. The three cousins were ready. Though their outfits were a bit…extreme. Kinda sinister (Chia joked they were the Sinis Trio). Ice wore a long coat with light blue & white patterns, a dress shirt, matching blue pants and a mask that resembled ice. Heath was large so not much was offered in his size. He ended up in a metal suit with yellow and gray, going for a techno look. His mask looked like robot eyes. Lavana? She acted like a royal princess. Or, rather, a royal pain. Wore a hot pink dress that left much to the imagination. Kate guessed the plan was to seduce the prince. Kinda felt sorry for the prince if he had to meet Lavana.

"Hey numbskull." Ice barked at Kate, making her jump. "We'll be back around 1. Keep the house nice and make our beds before we get back."

"Y-yes Ice." Kate nodded.

"Brother? Sister? Let us leave for the Almia ball." Ice said, leading the way.

"That prince is mine! I'll know him right away!"

"Me thinks the snacks be good."

Front door closed. Kate counted to twenty, making sure they didn't come back. Now it was Kate's time to get ready. Didn't waste a single second. Time to leap into action! First was a nice hot shower to freshen up. Kate dried her hair and let it down from its usual pigtails, making it soft & smooth. Tucked the hairpin right in. There were the matter of the bruises. Some were faint but others remained. Kate luckily picked up Lavana's techniques from her endless blabbing at the dinner table. Bruises and scrapes were easily covered up. Lastly, put on the outfit.

"_Wow! You're going to be the best girl at that ball!"_ Chia said as Kate stepped out.

"I don't know about that! But I'll have enough fun for us both!" Kate laughed.

"_You better!"_ Chia grinned. _"Good luck out there!"_

"Thanks Chia!" Kate called as she left the house.

Alright. Just a little ways away before the castle and the Almia ball.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The ball was in full swing. Almost all of Almia attended as well as a few from other regions. Those who attended were dancing and socializing away in the grand ballroom of gold and silver. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Music drifted through the air. Quite the party being thrown.

Keith had managed to slip in unnoticed. The disguise was flawless. And almost all of the eligible men were in costume too. Women were trying to meet the prince but had no idea who. Of course leave it to them to believe silly little lies the guys said or think the strong, tall ones were the one. Keith found it humorous how hard ladies were trying.

"Find love? In a room with obsessed with girls?" He thought. "Geez, why don't I capture Mew while I'm at it?"

A good amount of time was spent exploring, watching the people. Keith knew he couldn't sit out forever. Had to ask some of these girls to dance. But they all turned him down for men they assumed were better. Prince-hunters were even quicker with the rude rejection.

"_Hey dad? All those girls want a prince. I don't think they care about love." Keith said as he got ready for the ball._

"_Don't assume that just yet." Hastings advised. "There are girls who attend for other reasons as well. Besides, you shouldn't worry too much about picking through those women that seek fortune. Within time, you'll find the right girl."_

"_But how? How will I know she's the one for me?" Keith asked._

"_Trust me. You'll know." Hastings smiled knowingly._

Keith hoped the king was right. No way would a gold digger be accepted into the family. If Keith had to meet his true love (which was still met with skepticism), then it had to be on his own terms. That girl needed to see who he was, not his status. This ballroom held many women, true. But none of them seemed right. All these nice girls and none were worth chasing after.

"Hey look, Blue Eyes. The castle even invited the misfits to the ball."

"Ha! Britney! Look how stupid her dress looks!"

The redhead looked over by the snack bar to see two girls snickering. There was a third girl blocked from view, confronted by the others.

"I-I just wanted to get some punch…" The third girl timidly spoke up.

"Then let me help." Blue Eyes sarcastically responded.

Britney grabbed one of the glasses and handed it to her friend. Rather than passing the drink, Blue Eyes dumped it on the head of the girl. Both bullies doubled over in laughter. Couldn't see the victims face but it couldn't be good. Keith felt horrible watching the girl run away, bawling.

"Hey!" He stormed over. "What the hell was that about?"

The two women stared at Keith like he was crazy.

"You can't just pick on an innocent girl like that! It's wrong!" Keith furiously snapped. "I'll report you if I see any more harassment against another attendant."

"Whatever. Let's ditch this dork and find a real man." Britney grumbled, annoyed.

"Totally." Blue Eyes answered in a bored voice.

Both swiped cookies from the snack bar before leaving. Grade A jerkaholics. Keith clenched his jaw, a little bit enraged from having to deal with such vicious bullies. It was best to forget them and find that girl they tormented. Keith felt guilty that those two might've ruined the ball for her. Everyone should be having fun at Almia's biggest event. Grabbing napkins, Keith ran off after the girl. He had seen her slip out a tucked away side door to the gardens. So he followed through that door and into the night.

During the day, the large garden was cheerful and energetic. At night, it had a calming effect. The blackish blue skies was filled with stars and the glow of the moon. Flowers of all kinds were planted in neat rows; many asleep but a few released a soothing fragrance. Keith walked on the cobblestone path through the mystic place.

There was a pond some ways in with lilypads. Under a weeping willow tree came a cry. It was the girl. Keith ran over to her side at once, sitting down beside her on the grass.

"Hey. Are you ok?" Keith asked softly.

The girl nodded her head but Keith knew better. He got out the napkins; some for tissues and others to wipe off the punch on the lavender dress.

"I saw everything back there and I can assure you those idiots won't bother you again." Keith told her. "You coming back inside?"

Her head shook meant no.

"Why not?" Keith asked, helping clean up the punch.

"I-I just want to go home…I don't belong here." The girl whimpered. "Y-you don't have to do this for me."

"But I want to. And you should be in there having fun. Screw whatever people say. Everyone's invited to the ball regardless and everyone should be able to have a good time." Keith insisted.

The response was a few sobs and shaken breaths. Keith looked up, about to say something else but he was stunned. Words were instantly forgotten when he saw her face. This girl was amazing! One of the most beautiful girls Keith had ever seen! Brown hair so soft wrapped around her light skinned face that held a pair of captivating eyes. Keith was lost in those cerulean jewels. As if those eyes held mysteries the redhead desperately wanted to discover.

"I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" The girl asked, noticing Keith gaping.

"Er…um…" Keith stumbled a bit, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "Forgive me for staring…but you are quite gorgeous."

A bright red tint appeared on the girls face as her eyes widened. She looked so cute! Keith couldn't help but be drawn to her. Something about this girl made him smile uncontrollably.

"My name is Keith." Keith introduced himself. "And you?"

"Kate." The girl answered.

"Well Kate. Since you don't seem up for going back inside, how about a walk around the gardens?" Keith suggested.

"Y-you want to walk with me?" Kate stammered.

"It'd be an honor." Keith winked.

Kate seemed reluctant, a little scared. Keith hoped she'd say yes. And she did. They got up and strolled through the gardens together. The air was cool, with the glows of Illmuise and Volbeat flying around. Everything seemed so magical.

It wasn't easy getting Kate to open up. She was painfully shy and delicate. Mostly listened to whatever Keith had to say. While it was nice to find a girl who listened, Keith was hoping to listen to her as well. He was eager to learn more about Kate, to spend time with her. But he had to be patient. Don't rush things or he'd scare her off. Keith would be crushed if he messed this up.

After a long time, the patience paid off. Kate was starting to get a little more comfortable when the conversation turned to music; a passion of the girl's. Her face lit up as they talked about bands and songs. That smile was adorable. Keith nearly melted when he first saw it.

Kate looked to the Bell Tower on top of the castle. "It's late! I have to go!"

She was about to run off when Keith quickly grasped her hand. The girl was startled by the action but made no move to free herself.

"Please don't go yet." Keith said, a little hurt.

"I-I have to." Kate mumbled. "I'm needed at home."

"Will you come back?" Keith asked.

"Come back?"

"To the ball. Tomorrow night. I want to see you again. I've never met anyone like you, Kate. Please. Please come back." Keith pleaded.

Kate thought it over. She silently studied Keith's masked face. Keith waited anxiously for her answer. He wouldn't know what to do if she said no.

"I…I guess I can return for one more night…" Kate cautiously answered.

"YES!" Keith whoop'd. "Thank you so much!"

"But how would I meet you when the ballroom is so crowded?" Kate asked.

Good point.

"At the center of the garden is a fountain. We can meet there." Keith told her.

"Alright then. Um…I'll meet you at the fountain. Tomorrow night." Kate repeated. "I promise."

"Yes." Keith smiled. "Until then."

Kate's hand slipped from his grasp. Keith watched her go. It hurt to see her leave. Like a cold, lonely void was where she should be. The prince stayed in the gardens awhile to mope. Eventually, he went back inside. Wasn't much longer till the guests cleared out and the mess was being cleaned up. Day one of the Almia Ball was over. Time to prepare for Day 2.

"Had a goodnight?"

The voice made Keith jump. It was just his parents.

"Yep." Keith replied. "Certainly an interesting one."

"Oh? Did you find someone already?" Hastings questioned, suspicious.

Keith thought it was a little too early for that but let them think what they want. He was dealing with his own mixed up emotions to be concerned. There was that sadness and loneliness Keith felt from Kate's departure. Then there was excitement and hope at the promise that she would return soon.

There was another feeling in the mess. Heart beating fast, face warm and energy pulsing through like crazy! Plus that overwhelming desire geared towards Kate. The desire to see her again, to make her smile and know more about her. It was impossible to deny. Keith had one heck of a crush on that lavender girl.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Kate entered the house, out of breath. She hustled to make sure she had enough time to beat her cousins home and change. Looks like she had some time yet.

"_You're home!"_ Chia cheered, leaping into Kate's arms.

"I thought you'd be asleep." Kate giggled.

"_And not hear about the ball? Never!"_ Chia said. "_Sooooo. Tell me about it."_

"Well it was…" Kate tried to think of the right word. "…interesting.

Chia stared at her. _"…you met a guy."_

Kate blushed right away.

"_I knew it! You met a guy! Kate, I'm so happy for you!"_ Chia went anime eyes.

With a chuckle, Kate set the pachirisu down and went to the bathroom to change. Huh. No punch on the dress. As if it was brand new.

"_Ok you've got to tell me everything!"_ Chia demanded as she waited outside the door. _"Who is he? What's he look like? Give me details."_

"His name is Keith, he wore a dashing navy costume and he might have red hair." Kate started.

"_Red hair? That's good luck!"_ Chia sang.

"Couldn't see much with the disguise but past that black mask, he has really pretty green eyes." Kate sighed, smiling.

"_Awwww!" _

"At first, I was really lonely at the ball. No one wanted to talk or dance. So I went to try the food when these two really mean girls came over. They dumped punch on me and called me nasty names like Lavana would. I was so embarrassed that I ran out into the gardens. Then, I met him." Kate explained. "Keith helped clean up the dress and said he'd told the girls to leave me alone. Our eyes met and…um…"

Kate was pink at the memory. First seeing those green eyes nearly made her pass out. They were extraordinary! And on the face of a handsome, caring guy.

"_Yeah…? Come on! Don't stop now!"_ Chia urged.

"Keith said I was gorgeous. And then we walked through the gardens together for the rest of night. Even though I was nervous and could barely talk to him, he was patient with me. We even got to talk about music! I thought it'd bore him but Keith was interested in what I had to say." Kate went on.

"_Cute!"_ Chia squee'd.

"I had to leave but he wants to see me again tomorrow." Kate finished.

"_Then you have to go!"_ Chia told her. _"That guy is obviously into you! This might be the start of something wonderful!"_

"I dunno…" Kate sighed. "What if he changes his mind? Or he gets bored of me? There's plenty of better girls at that ball."

"_Kate, you seem to think you're not as good as anyone else. That isn't true. You deserve happiness after all the generosity you've shown to others. If not for the rest of your life, then for the rest of the ball."_ Chia reasoned. _"Go see Keith again. If something doesn't work out, then you can go home. What's the harm in one more night?"_

"…one more night." Kate accepted. "And I did promise him I'd return."

The dress was put back in the bag neatly and stashed in Chia's hiding place. Kate was in her pajamas now. She had debated greeting her cousins when they got home but it'd be almost pointless. They'd be too tired to care about anything Kate said or did. No point in risking more injuries. Besides, Kate needed to rest. Had to get all the sleep she could for tomorrow.

Sleep fell over her easily. With it came dreams of Keith.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Hey freak! Snap out of it and get to work!"

A scratch to the shoulder stung Kate's shoulder. Lavana was sleepy from the previous night which meant any irritation was taken out on Kate. The two girls were in Lavanas pink-filled bedroom, altering the dress from before. A plan Lavana came up with was making the dress look different every night with accessories or fashion adjustments. Though this alteration made it look more slutty.

Kate did the work as asked but her mind was elsewhere. Keith drifted in and out of her imagination all day long. During the chores, napping and even when helping Lavana. It was hard not to think about those dazzling emerald eyes or that gentle nature.

"By the way, space case, just because Ice is asleep doesn't mean you're off the hook." Lavana reminded as she applied eyeliner. "I'm completely in charge right now. My word goes."

"I know." Kate mumbled.

Ice and Heath were exhausted. They only woke up to use the bathroom or eat something. Their energy was reserved for the ball. Kate knew they'd be going all seven nights to get Lavana and that prince together. So a little less abuse was nice. However, Lavana needed less sleep than they did and needed more time to get ready for the ball. So it wasn't possible to avoid the pain completely.

"While we're out at the ball, I want you to handle laundry. Make sure all my things are washed and in tip top form." Lavana ordered.

"Yes ma'am." Kate responded.

Little did the pink haired woman know that it was already done. Kate made sure to do every single chore on that list in record time. Anything to have a free night.

After much fussing and fretting, the dress was done. Kate got in a quick nap before making dinner. The three cousins got up, devoured it all and prepared for the ball. They rushed out the door ready to party as Kate got done with the dishes. Chia counted to twenty this time, listening closely. They were gone. Time to get ready. Kate went into the bathroom to shower and change while Chia hung outside the door.

"Another romantic night! You are going to have so much fun!" Chia said.

"I hope so. Keith seems nice." Kate responded, smiling wildly.

There was excitement but also nervousness. Would Keith be at the gardens as promised? Or would he want a more attractive girl? It was possible that the boy would forget about Kate overnight.

Chia seemed to sense this. _"Hey, Keith won't ditch ya. He'll be waiting for you and you two will have a great night together!"_

Though those were comforting words, Kate was still apprehensive. Keith was almost too good to be true. Odds were, Kate didn't deserve his company. Soon he'd realize the same thing. But at the moment, Kate still promised she'd go back to the ball to meet him. And she never broke a promise.

Kate hugged Chia goodbye before setting off to the Almia Castle. These thoughts plagued her again and again. All this doubt combined with the want to see that guy again. Something in her felt like running to him yet run away. Had to fight this the entire walk there, while entering the ballroom and making her way past crowds.

Finding the door to the gardens wasn't hard. And no one seemed to notice the door or gardens. Must be because they all wanted to dance with the prince. Kate didn't care about that. She entered the garden, smelling the perfume of the flowers and seeing the glow of bug pokemon flying about. What a great place to be. This castle really knew how to care for their garden.

Footsteps slowed as the path took Kate close to the fountain. Would he be there? Pause. Deep breath. Walk up to the fountain center.

There was the fountain. Sitting on the concrete edge, looking at the sky, was Keith. He heard footsteps, turning to Kate with a huge smile on his face.

"You made it." Keith said, coming over.

"I promised I'd come." Kate responded.

"Shall we walk through the gardens once more?" Keith offered, holding out his hand.

"I'd like that." Kate nodded.

Her hand slipped into Keith's. And there it stayed for the rest of their time together.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Another successful night. Keith left feeling giddy and re-energized, with feelings bubbling about. He was absolutely crazy for this girl. Hadn't stopped thinking about her after their first meeting. Waiting for the second night was pure agony and then more so just waiting for the girl to show up again (if she would keep her promise, which she did).

Kate talked a little more that night. A little about music to which Keith learned she played grass whistle, wind pipes and used to practice a few others when she was young. Their conversations were about pokemon _(she loves pachirisus, including her own)_, flowers _(Kate liked tropical ones)_ and many other things. All Keith paid attention to closely. Every single detail was recorded into his brain.

What a special girl. They had common interests and ideas, Kate was most spectacular looking girl and she had a sweet personality. Keith was getting more attracted to this girl as the night wore on. When he finally got her to laugh, it made him feel like he was on top of the world.

It was just as painful to see her leave a second time. But Keith made her promise to meet him again at their meeting place. This time, Kate was quicker to agree. Keith wasn't entirely sure but it was possible she may be interested in him. And that was enough to send Keith into euphoria. He had to impress her. Had to.

Keith went to bed after the ball (avoiding his curious parents questions) and crashed out till late morning. There was a quick errand to do; getting Kate a little something special (managed to slip around without anyone knowing who he was). Other than that, his day was spent thinking about the girl and resting up. Even then, dreams were filled with images of the lavender dressed beauty.

Hours passed way too slow. The time eventually came for Keith to don the navy blue outfit and attend the ball. Made sure to greet his parents, nibble on a snack and take a look around the ball before disappearing. Huh. Clouds were rolling in. They didn't look too bad though so it was safe to stay outside. Keith settled down by the fountain for the all-too-long wait.

"Um…hi Keith."

There she was. Keith beamed just hearing that adorable voice of hers. He nearly tripped scrambling up to meet her.

"Our usual walk around the garden?" Keith assumed.

"Of cours-…" Kate was about to say.

KABOOM!

Lightning and thunder boomed across the sky, startling the girl. Not one second later, rain fell from the sky. Not the light kind either. Bucketfuls…no, waterfalls of rain came splashing down. Keith knew it was way too far to the ballroom but there was someplace else that would work.

"Come with me!" Keith grabbed Kate's hand. "I know where to go!"

The two ran through the gardens, over in the rose section. There was an old, vine covered gazebo built in perfect view of those flowers. Keith managed to hustle Kate there as thunder echoed through the skies again. Whew! Good thing they got there before the weather was any worse.

"Yikes! I shouldn't have second guessed the weather, huh?" Keith sheepishly said. "Are you ok, Kate?"

Kate nodded. "Yep."

She looked him over. Then giggled a little.

"What's so funny?" Keith raised an eyebrow.

"You're soaking wet! We both are!" Kate replied.

Took the redhead a moment to realize it. He was completely drenched! And so was Kate! Actually, it was kind of funny. Couldn't help but laugh with her. They sat down on a bench, watching the rain continue. Their laughter died down to a happy sigh, then peaceful silence.

They looked at each other, eyes meeting. Even wet, Kate was still really cute. And those eyes hadn't changed; filled with light and wonder. Keith felt his heart slam against his chest repeatedly. His face was burning up but the rest of his body was cold. One of his hands reached over to caress the girls soft cheek (which blushed upon contact). It seemed like the rest of the world faded away as they both leaned closer, closed their eyes and felt their lips touch.

Butterflies flew in Keith's stomach and his heart was beating so fast it might explode! Warmth flooded his entire being as his lips pressed against Kates. He was getting dizzy and lightheaded from these powerful emotions within. It was as if fireworks went off! Never before had Keith been this close to pure heaven!

The two drew back, opening their eyes again. Both were a deep scarlet red. Keith was unable to pry his eyes away from the girl before him. Nor could the truth be denied. He knew at once that Kate was his girl. She was 'the one'.

"Kate…" Keith murmured, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "When I first met you, I instantly liked you. Those feelings only grew. And now? Now I…I love you."

Kate stared at him in shock. Keith took one of her hands into both of his, never losing eye contact.

"I know we only met recently. But what I feel for you is real. All I want is to be with you." Keith went on.

Tears were on the edge of Kate's eyes. A small smile appeared.

"You're all I've been thinking about, Keith. I miss you when we're apart. A-and even though I know I'm not good enough for someone special like you…" Kate whispered. "I love you too."

Keith was now tearing up as well. He took Kate close and wrapped her into a hug. It felt like she was the missing puzzle piece that fit right into his arms.

"Sweetheart, you are more than good enough for me." Keith assured her.

When they broke apart, the redhead's memory flickered on. He dug around the pocket of his costume to find something he stashed in there before the ball. The same thing he shopped for earlier that day for Kate.

"I got you a little something." Keith said, handing a tissue wrapped present to her. "To thank you for the time we've spent together."

Kate carefully unwrapped the gift, surprised at what was inside. A new, white & purple ocarina. It was shined with a fine ceramic coating.

"I haven't played the ocarina since I was little…" Kate gasped, touched.

"Do you like it?" Keith asked.

"I love it!" Kate hugged him.

Keith was relieved. He hoped he chose the right instrument for Kate and it worked. The girl already practiced with a few notes, starting to recall how to play. It wasn't long before she could play Lugia's Song and Zelda's Lullaby **(reference to Zelda)**. Keith loved listening to the melodies and encouraged her.

The rain eventually ceased. Unfortunately, it was time for Kate to go. They walked out of the gazebo together, hand in hand.

"I know you'll come back tomorrow." Keith said. "You wouldn't skip out on me, would you?"

"Of course not." Kate responded.

"I'll be counting the seconds till we meet again." Keith sighed.

Time to part. Kate gave him a quick peck on the cheek before disappearing into the night. That short kiss was enough to make Keith happy all over again. He did it. The redhead found the girl of his dreams; his true love. Never before had Keith felt this way. What a rush! And what a sweetheart Kate was! Keith couldn't wait to see her again.

The ball ended and Keith's parents met up with him before he could retreat to his room again.

"Keith! You're all wet!" Erma groaned. "Haven't I told you not to play in the rain? And during the Almia Ball? Bad timing…"

"You seem to be in a very pleasant mood." Hastings noticed.

"I have no reason not to be." Keith shrugged though he still wore a lovesick smile; dead giveaway.

Hastings grinned. "I'm proud of you, Keith. It's wonderful to see you happy."

"When do we get to see the lovely lady?" Erma questioned, curious.

"Not yet but soon." Keith answered. "I want to give her a little more time. She's a bit shy."

"You have four more nights. Take as much time as you need for her." Hastings reassured him.

The parents seemed very eager at the news. They wanted to ask but knew to give Keith a little space. Keith would tell them when the time came. For now, he wanted Kate all to himself. And he was reliving that glorious kiss over & over again in his head.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

A musical hum filled the kitchen the next morning. Kate sashayed about as she completed the list of chores. She was on cloud nine, head swimming in pure joy. Nothing could bring her down.

"_Morning."_ Chia yawned, sleepily entering the kitchen.

"Good morning!" Kate greeted in a sing-song tone.

"_Aren't you in a good mood today?"_ Chia chuckled. _"We were both tired last night. So I've been waiting for you to tell me why you've been smiling like an idiot."_

"Um…well…" Kate blushed. "I had my first kiss."

"_No way! Congrats!"_ Chia gasped. _"With Keith, right?"_

The pigtailed girl nodded. Hearing that name made her remember the special moment. Her heart was beating like a taiko drum.

"_Was it a good kiss? Is it more than a crush now? What happened?"_ Chia quickly questioned.

"It was perfect." Kate sighed. "Keith said he loves me. And…I feel the same way."

"_How romantic!"_ Chia was getting emotional.

It started as a crush. But Kate felt those feelings progress into like very fast. Who knew she'd fall for someone so hard, so quick? Kate loved Keith and she was happy to hear him confess he loved her as well. All she could think about were those bright eyes and that soothing voice. To be in Keith's arms again would be a dream come true.

"_You must really love this guy."_

"I do." Kate responded. "Keith's sweet, funny, cute and full of energy. And he cares for me…"

The hallway doors opening and footsteps brought Kate back to reality. Chia dashed to the cupboards. Though Keith was kept close to heart, Kate had to keep her head on chores and cousins. All three of them were up for a chance, though very weary. They came to the kitchen.

"Did runt girl go food shopping?" Heath grumbled.

"Yes." Kate quietly answered.

Heath guzzled milk straight from the carton. Kate made toast for Ice and served a bowl of strawberries to Lavana.

"Three nights down, four to go." Ice said. "Any luck with that prince?"

Kate got to cleaning the counters. Though she picked up some of the conversation, a small part of her was lost in dreamland.

"DAMN IT ALL!"

A bowl flew a centimeter above Kate's head, crashing into the wall. Kate froze in place, eyes slowly looking over where the bowl came from. Lavana was looking very ticked off. Not a good sign.

"I can't track down that prince anywhere! All these losers and wanna-bes are so freaking annoying! I've seduced dozens of guys but none are him!" Lavana freaked out. "What the hell? What the _freaking_ hell?!"

"Chill. We have time." Ice reminded.

"Yeah. You find him soon." Heath said.

Kate cautiously began to pick up the pieces of the bowl. The guys kept talking. They were making plans how to search the crowds for the prince and interrogate other guys. Then some ideas were made on how Lavana could get the prince interested, draw him out of hiding. Lavana, by the way, was still edgy. Clearly in a bad mood. Kate was a bit jumpy whenever her female cousin got like that. But imagining Keith made it not so bad. For a split second, she smiled and felt comfort.

When Kate felt someone hover behind her, she knew she made a terrible mistake. Another rule of the household; Kate was never allowed to smile.

"What's got you so happy, you miserable little brat?" Lavana snapped. "You think this is funny?"

Chills ran down Kate's spine. Before she could stutter a reply, Lavana's hand shot out and grabbed hold of her neck. Kate choked on the tight grasp. Fear pulsed through the poor girls body as Lavana's glare grew intense.

"You were always a pathetic, hideous loser. I hate you. My brothers hate you. Everyone hates you. You don't even deserve to be alive." Lavana hissed. "You are nothing."

The pain didn't stop. Lavana kept strangling Kate as the brothers joined in. From there, memory got blurry. Time had no meaning. There were punches and kicks, scrapes and scratches, hurtful words of all kinds too. Blood splattered as pain burst throughout Kate. Screams died at Lavana's hand. Tears were like an endless flood. It seemed as though the cousins were really going to kill her. As if this was really it.

Eventually, Kate's neck was let go and her body was thrown to the floor. Kate coughed, trying to take in as much air as she could. Couldn't move on the cold kitchen titles. The floor vibrated, signaling the cousins left.

Kate soon blacked out, trapped with those crushing words inside her head.

"You are nothing."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"_Kate? B-buddy? Please wake up!"_

A voice made Kate snap out of her unconscious state. She weakly opened her eyes. Chia was curled beside her head, frightened. Blood was in splashes on the floor. Kate could feel jolts of aches run through her arms, legs and stomach. It hurt to be awake. The girl wanted to sleep but she forced herself to wake up.

"W-what happened?" Kate hoarsely whispered.

"_Your cousins gave you a rough round."_ Chia replied sadly. _"Thank goodness they didn't kill you."_

Kate groaned as she pushed herself off the floor into a sitting position. She inspected her body for injuries. Dark bruises everywhere but also red scratches. Some marks were merely jabs like something stabbed her. Kate's left foot was a little swollen and purple but had an ice pack on it.

"_They hit, scratched and choked you bad. Those guys even jammed those bowl shards into you and sprained your foot. I-I managed to get you some ice from the fridge. Plus get those shards out. Couldn't find the bandages though."_ Chia muttered, sorrowfully. _"I…I'm sorry."_

"It wasn't your fault." Kate petted the pachirisu's head.

"I'm your pokemon. And I couldn't protect you cause I was scared." Chia sighed.

Kate spent a little time to pet Chia and make her feel a little better. But she soon realized the kitchen was dark. How could that be?

"How long was I knocked out?" Kate asked.

"_Since this morning."_ Chia replied. _"It's night now. Your cousins left awhile ago."_

Then that means…

"I'm late!" Keith exclaimed. "I'm supposed to meet Keith at the ball!"

"_Kate, you're in no condition to see him! Look at you! You're in pain!"_ Chia protested.

"I don't care. A promise is a promise. And I love Keith too much to let him down." Kate refused. "I have to get ready."

Kate forced herself up and limped around the house to get ready. Chia argued to stay home for one night but the girl heard none of it. She couldn't abandon Keith in the gardens like that. And Kate would never survive a night without seeing him. She'd do anything to be with her love again. Even going to the ball in horrible pain.

Showering helped a little. Kate treated the leg wounds with bandaids while wrapping up her foot. She'd limp but if she got Keith to sit down, he wouldn't notice. Hopefully. Arms held a lot of marks which makeup was used to cover. There was a very ugly bruise on the neck and one over the right eye. Heavy makeup was applied there. Thank goodness the cousins left the face alone for the night.

"_Be careful out there."_ Chia fearfully told her friend.

Kate gave her a hug before heading out the door. It wasn't easy to limp to the castle. The trip took longer than usual. Plus it was a bit cool outside. But Kate had to go. She pushed herself extra hard to make her way. A sprained foot wouldn't stop her.

No one at the ball noticed anything off about Kate. Then again, they never noticed Kate. She always pushed past them to the garden entrance. The gardens were as lovely as ever. Kate enjoyed the scenery with some anxiety. Would Keith be mad if she was late? Heck, would he still be at the fountain at all? Who's to say Keith wouldn't give up and go back outside on this chilly night?

A smile came onto Kate's face as the fountain came in view. Keith was there, patiently waiting. And he was smiling too when he saw Kate. Sprang right up to go meet her.

"There you are!" Keith said, excited. "Aw man! I thought you wouldn't come!"

"Sorry I'm a little late!" Kate apologized.

Keith chuckled. "You're here now. That's all that matters. Care for a walk along the pond, my love?"

"Actually…" Kate stopped him. "Mind if we sit down? It's…um…it's been a long day for me. Kinda tired."

"It's alright with me." Keith agreed. "Let's sit by the fountain."

A few feet away but Kate could handle it. She walked alongside Keith, pretending everything was alright. As though there was no limp or pain that erupted in her leg. Nothing was wrong. Almost to the fountain and they'd…

Trip!

"EEEP!"

SPLASH!

It happened too fast. Her foot bent crooked during the walk, which made Kate slip. She fell forward and landed face first into the fountain. Keith ran right over and pulled her out. Kate was coughing up water as he set her down on the fountain's edge.

"Aw man, are you ok? That was brutal!" Keith asked, holding her hand tight.

"I…I'm fine." Kate answered, squeezing water from her hair.

"Wait a sec." Keith stared at her with a confused look. "Y-you don't look so good."

What did he mean? Kate checked her reflection in the water. Oh no! The makeup washed off! Keith could see the bruises on her face and neck!

"I'm fine. Really." Kate insisted.

Keith studied her for the longest of times. His eyes held concern and alarm. Kate flinched as his hand caressed her face. A little bit of water from Kate's hair dripped to one of her arms, washing a tiny drop of makeup off. Keith noticed. He took out a cloth from his costume pocket, dipped it into the fountain and washed both of Kate's arms. The makeup came off to reveal an array of dark red scratches and blackish purple bruises. Keith took in a deep breath as his face grew eerily pale. The hand moved from the face to the arms, lightly touching the injuries. It stung but not as much as it did seeing Keith look this afraid. He lifted the dress hemline to see the feet and part of the lower legs. There was the foot along with more patched up damages.

"K-kate…" Keith whispered in total shock. "W…what happened to you?"

Kate bit her lip. Keith looked right into her eyes with such seriousness, it made her shake. The girl was completely petrified.

"Kate."

Keith tried to hold her hand but Kate yanked back as if he was electrified. The shaking grew worse as a strangled cry came from the back of her throat. Her lips quivered. Eyes were moist, ready to weep at any moment.

"I-I have to go!" Kate squeaked, about to bolt up from her spot.

The foot slowed her down. It gave Keith the chance to grab her arm and sit her back down. Minutes passed in silence. Keith kept his eyes locked on the girl, whose nerves were getting worse.

"Please. Tell me." The navy-dressed guy begged. "What happened?"

Kate gulped. "I…I can't. I can't tell you."

"Why not?" Keith asked, looking hurt.

"B-because…I…I'm perfectly fine! Nothing's wrong!" Kate stuttered. "You don't need to worry about me. I'll be alright. And they'll only get mad at me more so…"

"They? Who is 'they'?" Keith frowned.

Kate's breath caught. She had said 'they'. The word slipped out. Aw no!

"Kate?" Keith spoke in a hushed tone. "Were you abused?"

It was too much. Kate couldn't hold back anymore. She broke into tears, bawling. All this pain and loneliness got to her. Couldn't stand it any longer. All the physical and verbal abuse came rushing to the girls memory, making her feel useless. Like she was lower than dirt.

"Oh sweetheart…" Keith whispered.

He took Kate and held her close, embracing her ever so gently. A hand stroked her hair. Kate was crying into his chest. She felt a little safer hearing Keith's heartbeat. The cold wind made her shiver. Keith took off his cape and wrapped it around her shoulders, keeping the girl warm.

"I love you, Kate. All I wish is to protect you and see that adorable smile." Keith murmured. "Let me be there for you. Tell me, who did this to you?"

Normally, Kate would continue to deny anything was wrong. She had to pretend like she was happy all the time. Kate deserved what she got, after all. No one had ever cared about Kate before. At least, not until now. Staring into Keith's eyes, Kate knew he cared deeply for her. She could trust him completely.

"M-my cousins…" Kate quietly admitted.

It was hard to talk about it. But Kate explained the things her cousins would say or do to her. Every callous punishment that happened in the last few years since her aunts death. How Kate had to endure so much loneliness.

Keith had listened intently to every word. His eyes were soft and filled with worry. It felt like his hold on Kate was tighter as she went on talking. When she finished, there was a long silence. Keith was reflecting on the words and in deep thought about something.

Soon enough, he sighed again. "I'll get you out of there. One way or another."

"Keith, you can't…" Kate tried to object.

"I'm not going to stand back and let the love of my life get hurt! Kate, you're in bad condition! And one of these days, those jerks you call cousins may end up killing you!" Keith argued.

"I'll be ok! Really!" Kate squeaked.

"No." Keith shook his head. "I'm finding a way out for you."

"B-but why?" Kate asked, baffled. "Why are you intent on doing this?"

"Because I love you. Being separated for a day is torture enough. If something happened to you, I'd go crazy." Keith answered. "There's no way I'd ever let you go. Especially to those idiots you call family. I'll make sure we can stay together forever; you'd never have to suffer through that pain ever again."

Kate hugged him tight. Hearing those words gave her a feeling of calm. It didn't seem likely that she'd ever be free from that mayhem. Still, it was nice to know that Kate wasn't alone. That someone did in fact love her. And he was there for Kate when she needed support.

The lavender dress girl looked up to her hero. Though that mask and hat prevented Kate from seeing what he fully looked like, she could see his eyes. Vivid green orbs that radiated light and energy. Windows to the soul that proved Keith's love was true. They were eyes that Kate had instantly loved since they first met. With the kind-hearted spirit and upbeat personality, falling further in love was inevitable. Kate wished she could spend eternity with this man by her side; to always love him and have that loved returned.

As with the other nights, Keith remained glued to her side. He found medicine herbs and used his knowledge of them to apply a natural remedy to Kate's foot. Kate worried the royal family might not like it but Keith wasn't concerned. The girl thanked him by playing the Oracion song on a blade of grass. As the tune always did, it relaxed those who heard it. Keith was quite at ease from the melody.

There hadn't been much time since Kate came late. Keith had offered to escort her home, still worried about her foot. Kate assured him she was capable (she did limp to the ball alone, after all). They kissed before the girl departed. It was a long walk home with barely any time to change out of the dress. Kate slipped into bed with her already sleeping pachirisu right as the cousins came home.

Though danger was ever present, the fear wasn't too bad this time. As if a part of Keith was always with Kate.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Love. Love. Love. Keith was head over heels in love.

Kate was in his every dream. He could even see her when he closed his eyes. The redhead smiled a lot more than he usually did. His heart beat faster with excitement when the name crossed his mind. All Keith wanted was to sweep Kate into his arms and never let go. What a cutie!

Even last night, after he discovered her secret, Keith still adored her. It was heart breaking to learn that his girl went through such a terrible time. That she still was. Such a strong girl to put up with all that. Keith praised her for that strength.

At the same time, he worried. Sometimes during the day, Keith would wonder how Kate was doing. Was she starting on chores or being beaten again? If only he could see her again. Had to keep telling himself that Kate would come back to the ball again and they would reunite for the evening. Keith would make sure to give Kate another unforgettable night to erase the pain. She shouldn't have to cry or feel alone. Nor should she think she was worthless.

The redhead's fingers reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the purple hairclip. Yes, Kate's hairclip. It fell out when Kate fell into the fountain. Keith fished it out but neglected to return it. Oh well. No harm in keeping it for a little bit. Besides, a piece of Kate would now be with him. It was what made waiting slightly more bearable.

Fifth night of Almia Ball. Keith's goofy grin came on as soon as he heard footsteps approaching the gardens. He jumped right up to meet Kate, escorting the limping girl back to the fountain. Just as beautiful as ever. Keith eagerly conversed with her about this and that. They laughed, they hugged, they cuddled, they kissed. Though Kate's foot was still sore, Keith was able to carefully dance with her. His heart soared seeing those blue eyes light up. Every moment was spent together in pure harmony.

Alas, their night had to come to an end. They kissed and shared a passionate embrace before Kate limped away. Though Keith insisted on helping her home, the girl was stubborn and determined to get there herself. Keith was concerned but he knew Kate was strong. One more reason he fell for her.

"So this is where you've been hiding."

Keith spun around. From the shadows came Hastings. The father and son sat down on the fountain side together.

"Y-you spied on us?" Keith stammered.

"Your mother was wondering why she hasn't seen you inside. I volunteered to check up on you. Thus, here I am." Hastings told him. "Though I haven't seen much, I sense there's something special between you and that girl. You love her don't you?"

"I do." Keith sighed.

His fingers pulled out the hairclip that hadn't been returned yet. Keith couldn't help but smile, remembering every moment spent with his dream girl. An idea came to mind.

"Dad? Can I ask you for something?" Keith cleared his throat. "I know marriage won't happen for a long time. But could Kate stay with us, please? Here in the castle?"

Hastings was silent. He looked around at the gardens before turning back to Keith.

"She's been abused, hasn't she?"

Keith's breath caught. It felt like his muscles froze up. How did he…?

"Under the right light, the bruises show through the makeup. From brief medical knowledge I've gathered, no accident could inflict those wounds. And with her shy personality, it was easy to guess that your girl, Kate was it?, had been through abuse." Hastings explained.

"…yeah." Keith looked down. "Things haven't been going well for her at home. I'm worried about her. W-what if worse is done to her? Or I lose her completely? I have to protect Kate no matter what."

Hastings pondered this. "Very well. I'll talk to your mother but I'm sure we'll allow it."

"Really?" Keith gasped, getting excited.

"I've seen that you two truly love each other. Perhaps you are soulmates; destined to be together." Hastings said. "After the last night of the ball, she may come with you to the castle. We'll allow her to join our family."

"Dad…thank you." Keith smiled, grateful.

"I understand what it's like to be in love and the desire to protect that person from danger."

The king gave his son a shoulder pat before rising and going back inside. Keith decided to stay out a little longer, deep in thought. Soon enough, his precious sweetheart would be free from the torment she suffered through. And Keith wouldn't have to wait hours to see her again. If only he could survive until then.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Once. Twice. Three times.

Kate was pushed around and abused by each of the cousins. They were getting impatient over not finding the prince. There was one night before the final night of the ball. At the final ball, the prince would've chosen his love from the crowd of women. Not easy to find that prince since he disguised well. Lavana took out her aggression on Kate with ferocity. Ice and Heath were mad too, thinking their future funds and privileges were disappearing.

Didn't matter. Through the pain suffered, Kate remembered to keep strong. Had to be. All for her own love, Keith. Kate found the day went by dreadfully slow as she waited for the night to begin again. When chores were done and the cousins went to get better outfits, the girl played the ocarina. Kate treasured the gift. It was the most perfect ocarina she had ever seen and had a beautiful sound. She could practically envision herself reciting a peaceful melody in the gardens with Keith smiling, listening.

Keith. A mysterious man behind a disguise. Kate didn't know much about his looks other than he had smooth light skin and green sparkling eyes. Maybe red hair but it was hard to tell. Still, it didn't matter. Even if Keith wasn't good looking, Kate would love him regardless. He treated her gently, making sure she was happy and well. Keith made her laugh and was there during the sad times. Their time spent together was heavenly. Each passing night, Kate fell further in love with him.

The cousins left a bit later than expected. Though Kate hustled and made it to the ball. Her foot was sore but those medicine herbs and resting helped. Plus a certain someone. The same one who greeted her at the fountain as always. Keith tucked a red rose in Kate's hair, making her blush. Seeing Kate turn pink made the goofy smile reappear on his face. It made Kate feel special.

After they talked and snuggled for a time, Keith offered to dance. Kate was a clumsy dancer; even more so with the foot. But Keith was patient the entire time. The closeness and Keith's radiant eyes flickering light and love? Kate shivered, blushing again.

"Are you cold? Would you like to borrow my cape?" Keith quickly offered.

Kate shook her head. "No. I um…I'm really happy being with you, Keith."

"I'm happy to be with you too, sweetheart. Wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Keith murmured.

There was a quiet moment. Just the sounds of the night garden or distant music coming from the ballroom.

"Kate? I love you. And you love me, right?" Keith asked, suddenly nervous.

"Of course I love you." Kate answered.

"Wonderful." Keith drew her closer. "Listen. I know you're a capable young lady but I can't help feeling concerned for your safety. Those cousins of you are way too rough. I can see right through that makeup under the moonlight."

"It's ok! I can handle anything! Trust me!" Kate assured.

"Kate. I know you can." Keith shushed her. "Still. I worry out of love. Which is why I decided it'd be best you come live with me."

"L-live with you?!" Kate squeaked, shocked.

"All it is would be the two of us living under the same roof. I promise to respect your privacy and treat you like a princess. Think about it. Your cousins would never hurt you again. No one would. And we wouldn't have to be apart for so long. We'd be together, darling." Keith quietly explained.

"I…I'm not sure…" Kate stammered.

"Please come with me. I promise I'll make you happy and protect you from danger. Please, Kate?" Keith begged.

Kate wasn't so sure. Run away with Keith? To a new life? She worried that her cousins would eventually track them down. Keith would really be in trouble then. Then again…looking at Keith, Kate knew he meant every word. She would be happy anywhere as long as she was with him. No reason to fear.

"Ok. I'll go with you."

Keith eagerly kissed Kate. "Thank you! Aw man, sweetie! Thank you so much! You won't regret that decision!"

Kate giggled. He was so darn cute when he was excited like that.

"Tomorrow night, after the ball is over, you'll come with me." Keith said.

"Wait!" Kate remembered something. "I-I can't leave my pachirisu alone!"

"Bring her with. She's welcome to come with us." Keith told her.

"Alright then. I-I guess this is it. Soon we'll be together." Kate shyly said.

"Forever." Keith grinned. "Think you can survive one last day?"

"I made it this far." Kate shrugged.

"That's my girl." Keith whispered.

Time once again to depart. They Eskimo-kissed before letting go. There was some hesitation like usual but not as much. Kate knew she'd be with Keith again. And though it took a certain amount of strength to leave her mean cousins, Kate knew she would do it. Home was where the heart is. Her heart was with Keith.

It wasn't too long before Kate got home. She changed from her dress and was back to the way she was; a normal girl. Went back into her bedroom to hide the dress but also to get out a very small knapsack. Chia woke up from her snooze.

"_Hm? Hey Kate."_ Chia yawned. _"Nice night out?"_

"As always." Kate smiled.

"_What's with the knapsack?"_ Chia asked.

"We're leaving." Kate answered casually.

That caught the pachirisu's attention. _"Leaving?"_

"Well not right now. But soon. Tomorrow night after the ball, actually." Kate said.

"_What's gotten into you all of a sudden? I suggested this idea multiple times and you always chickened out. Now you're ready to go? Mind explaining yourself?"_ Chia was still surprised.

"Um…it's because we'll have someplace to go. W-we can be safe and happy." Kate stammered.

Chia stared at her awhile. But the expression seemed to change into understanding.

"_I get it. This has to do with Keith."_ Chia said.

Kate nodded.

"_You're going to run away with him?" Chia assumed._

"_Sort of. He knows about my cousins and how we're living. Been so concerned for days and he's worried I'd be killed if I stayed here."_ Kate explained.

"_Hey I worry the same exact thing, buddy."_ Chia spoke up.

"So he asked me to come live with him and said you could join us. He promised he wouldn't do anything weird or hurt me. That I'd be free from my cousins for good. And…and we wouldn't have to be apart like this." Kate went on.

Chia was quiet for a minute. Then smiled slightly.

"Better pack up and get some rest. We have a big night ahead of us." She said.

"Thank you!" Kate hugged the pokemon.

"_Thank you? Hey this is your choice! And I can see the way you light up that Keith knows how to treat a lady. You deserve happiness, Kate. Now it's finally yours."_ Chia told her.

Kate put a few things in the bag. The ocarina, a spare outfit of normal clothes, an old picture of her parents & aunt and a little bit of money. Though she was sent for errands, sometimes there'd be change leftover. If the cousins didn't ask for it back, Kate would slip away a small portion of it (putting the rest on the table). For emergencies like the time Chia was sick or a leak in the ceiling (had to buy the supplies to patch it up herself). At the very least, Kate wouldn't financially trouble Keith too much. She'd work hard to rebuild her life with him; not to be a burden.

Everything was set. The dress would be ready to wear one more time. Knapsack was stuffed alongside it; Chia volunteered to carry it. Now it was time to sleep. Not as easy with the anticipation of course. One more day and Kate would gain her freedom.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"WHERE IS THAT PRINCE!"

Kate tried her best to stay low all day. It was best not to incur Lavana's wrath any further. She was already throwing things and rampaging like a tyranitar. At the mere sight of Kate, the pink haired woman would tear her apart. It was rare when Lavana's anger was worse than usual but it was deadly.

The brothers were either calming Lavana down or doing their best to control their own temper. They were annoyed that their efforts for the prince hunt weren't going well. Tonight was the night the prince would reveal himself and his love. This last night was Lavana's last night. Lots of pressure on everyone. Kate was ignored by them but she knew they'd snap soon enough. And if after the ball, the prince were to not choose Lavana? The girl gulped, shivering just thinking about it.

Stay low. Hide in the shadows until it was clear. Say nothing and don't make a sound. Kate did this all day long. So far, so good. No bruises, scrapes or damage done. If she could make it a tiny bit longer, then this would all be over. Kate held that hope close as she witnessed vases shattering against walls or magazines being ripped to shreds across the floor.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVEN'T MET HIM YET!" Lavana screeched. "THAT JERK BETTER SHOW HIS FACE TO ME!"

Kate was washing dishes when Lavana stomped down the halls. A glance at the clock. Lavana's fury wasn't helping her get ready and she was late. Ice and Heath already waited in the living room. Kate couldn't hide there or go into the hallways. All that was left to do was stay in the kitchen, hoping she'd go unnoticed.

"Calm down, sis! You still have tonight to find him." Ice said.

"YOU CALM DOWN!"

Sound of glass shattering. Kate put away the dishes as Chia anxiously watched from the cabinets.

"We search entire ball for prince! We find him." Heath spoke. "You no worry."

"I HAVE PLENTY TO WORRY ABOUT, YOU DUMMIE! I SHOULD BE THE PRINCESS! ME! NOT SOME STUPID GIRL WITH NO SENSE OF FASION OR UGLY LOOKS! I DESERVE THAT CROWN!" Lavana snapped.

The voice only got louder. No doubt other houses may be able to hear. Kate cleaned out the sink.

"Y-you know…it's not my fault." Lavana mumbled, her voice wobbly. "I-it's not MY fault. It's THEIRS!"

"Whose?" Heath asked, confused.

"THEM! All of them! T-that prince! He's so blind to not see me stand out inna crowd! And them! Those stupid other girls. They're crowding him! They try to take MY prince away from me!"

Lavana was clearly unstable. Ready to crack at any second. Not good at all. Kate wiped down the counters.

"And it's _HER_ fault."

Kate gulped.

"IT'S ALWAYS _HER_ FAULT."

Kate paled, knowing what 'her' meant. They way it was said, the vagueness of the accusation, it all pointed to one thing. Kate would be the next target in just a few moments. And right on cue, those footsteps started to storm right from the living room to the kitchen. Kate nervously looked at her pink haired, red faced cousin. Lavana was clearly mad; like an enraged tauros stampede.

"YOU MISERABLE BRAT!" Lavana yelled, making Kate's ears ring. "YOU DID THIS TO ME! IT'S YOUR FAULT YOU (bleep)! ALWAYS YOUR FAULT!

From behind her came the brothers with dark, glaring expressions. Kate knew this usually meant many intense injuries that would ache and sting for weeks. This time was different. Looking at those faces, Kate was more terrified than she had been before. The cousins were closing in on her, ready to rumble. This wasn't any usual round or match Kate had faced before. It was a sudden death.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Keith checked the bell tower for what seemed like the millionth time. He sighed and looked around the garden, uneasy. Kate should've arrived awhile ago. Even when her foot was hurt, she wasn't this late. Where did that girl go?

"Kate always keeps her promises. Hasn't failed to see me." Keith thought, trying to settle his nerves. "She's…she's probably late again."

This was the night. The night where Keith would reveal his true identity and whisk Kate away to safety, loving her forever more. They'd be together. Nothing would tear them apart.

…but what if she choked? What if Kate decided she didn't want to go with Keith? She could've changed her mind and backed out of the whole thing. Or maybe…no. No it couldn't be. Keith was sure Kate loved him. Why else would she bother coming to the gardens to see him? Even after the injuries were inflicted, Kate made her way to him.

Still. Where could she be?

"_Keith!"_

Huh? A voice? Not Kate's but someone else's. Keith looked around.

"KEITH!"

Scurrying around the garden was a pachirisu with a knapsack on her back. Her eyes darted in every direction, not stopping till they saw Keith. The pokemon ran right over to him and jumped on the fountain.

"_Are you Keith?"_ The pachirisu asked.

"I am." Keith nodded.

"_Please! You have to help! Kate's in trouble!"_

Keith's breath stopped cold. Eyes were wide. He couldn't believe what he heard.

"What did you say?" Keith asked, his voice cracked.

"_Kate's getting beaten up by her cousins again! I think they might kill her! I-I tried to fight but they threw me out the window!"_ Chia hurriedly explained. _"Please! You have to save her! You're the only one who can!"_

Keith's shock turned into furiousness. A growl rumbled this throat as teeth clenched, fists tightened. You could read devotion and anger in his eyes.

"Lead the way." Keith stood from his spot.

Chia, the pachirisu, took off. Keith went after her at full speed. True the prince wasn't supposed to leave his ball but this was an emergency. Love was on the line. If something wasn't done now, Keith would lose Kate for good. That risk gave him the courage he needed to push through the streets of Pueltown. He'd do anything to make sure Kate was safe and in his arms once again.

Keith followed Chia through the city. It was surprising how ways away it was from the castle. Not that far but not really close. Kate made quite the trek. All to come see Keith. Warmed his heart. And strengthened it for whatever was coming ahead.

There it was. The house. Keith noticed one of the windows had a broken spot, where Chia was thrown. He could hear a pain filled cry followed by shouts. Kate's cry. Keith rushed right to the door and slammed it open (sort of like a target clear). The redhead went through the hallway and followed the noise to the kitchen.

Three people; two men in blue and yellow (Ice and Heath) with a pink colored woman (Lavana). They were each inflicting unspeakable pain onto Kate, who had been knocked to the ground. There was a knife stabbed on her right side, blood pouring out. There were plate and vase shards jabbed into her. Gashes all over accompanied by bruising. Her sprained foot seemed worse. The left arm dangled in a weird position. Keith was appalled seeing the girls face. She was knocked into unconscious but looked to be suffering the worst pain unimaginable. Any skin not battered up was pale. Kate might slip away at any moment.

"STOP!" Keith yelled.

The cousins stopped, turning to Keith with bewildered expressions.

"Excuse me? Who are you and what are you doing here?" Lavana huffed.

"I'm here for Kate." Keith answered in a stern tone.

"Loser girl? HA!" Heath laughed.

"This is our business, buddy. Leave now." Ice coldly ordered.

"Well Kate is my girlfriend so she's my business too." Keith stood his ground. "And if you don't leave her alone, you'll regret it."

"Like I'd be scared of a little noob." Ice snickered.

"Girlfriend?" Lavana stepped over. "You say Kate here is your girlfriend."

"She is. Stop hurting her and back off." Keith sternly demanded.

"I'm not going to let my cousin go. That weak, spineless little dolt who doesn't even deserve to live." Lavana spat.

"Guys! I be thinking! Dis guy? He might tell on us!" Heath spoke up. "Dis guy see us and Kate!"

"You're right. A witness." Ice glared at Keith.

"Then we've got no other choice but to erase any evidence." Lavana snapped her fingers. "Get him."

Before he could react, Keith was attacked by the guys. Heath and Ice started to grab at his arms but Keith fought back. Punches were thrown, kicks whipped out, weapons used to hit…it was a blur. Keith could hardly tell who he was hitting or what struck him. It was a vicious fight that drew blood from everyone. There were electric sparks that came onto Lavana. Chia seemed to handle the hag. Keith was left with the big guy and the expert martial artist.

A chair had temporarily knocked the wind out of the redhead. These guys liked to play rough. Keith's only option was to comply. He grabbed dishes to defend and throw. Threw a dishtowel on the yellow man's head before karate kicking him across the room. Heath was powerful but his lack of speed and energy was his downfall. Meanwhile Ice had graceful moves and agility; no body strength that could easily take hits. Keith had to get a lot of strikes before punching him out, slamming the guy's head into the wall. Neither were killed. Seriously injured but Keith let them live. Chia had done the same with Lavana. The life/death fight only lasted a few minutes though it seemed like it was longer.

Keith panted, nearly out of breath. Sweat beaded down his forehead. He coughed up blood. Had to be some internal organ injuries and bruised ribs in him. There bumps and cuts. Keith had lived through the fight. He limped his way over to Kate.

She was barely alive. Her skin started to get cold as she laid in a small pool of blood. Chia snuggled in the arms, trying to keep her warm. A heart breaking sight. Keith gathered them both into his own arms and started walking out. Time to go home.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Darkness engulfed Kate for the longest of time. She was trapped in an unconscious resting state as her body tried to heal off the excessive pain. It was awhile before Kate struggled to wake up and open her eyes.

Vision was very blurry at first. Took time to adjust to. Kate had to force her eyes to stay open, though it was tempting to shut them and go back to sleep. Her head pounded as questions took form. Where was she? What happened? Did she die?

Kate looked at her surroundings. It was almost as if she did die! She was resting in the softest bed with cozy blankets. Pachirisu was in a deep sleep at the foot of the bed. The bed itself was inside an open but elegant room that lit up in the glow of sunshine. What was this place? Heaven? Kate wanted to get up to see though she found herself weakened. There was a bandage wrapped around her head as well as one on her nose. Her left arm was in a light cast while Kate felt her foot was in a tight bandage as well. Kate's body was covered in medicine patches, gauzes and stitches. While the pain throbbed, it got considerably better than before. Still, as grateful as Kate was for the care, she wondered who did this.

The door to the room opened; Keith stepped in. He still wore the hat and mask but the rest of the attire changed. His shirt was white with gold buttons while the pants were black. What an graceful outfit! Keith turned towards Kate and stopped. He stared at her a moment, shocked. A smile appeared with watery eyes. The guy raced towards the edge of the bed, right beside Kate.

"Oh thank heavens your awake!" Keith sighed, relieved.

"Keith? What…? Where am I?" Kate tried to ask.

"Don't worry. You're safe now." Keith assured. "Your cousins tried to kill you. Chia came to me for help. I fended off your cousins and whisked you away to my home, Kate. Made sure you were taken care of well."

"Thank you." Kate whispered.

"Anything for you, love." Keith's expression was gentle.

"I never expected your house to be this nice!" Kate said, glancing around the room.

Keith chuckled. "Well, I have access to very top quality things. I've been able to give you good medical attention and a quiet, warm place for you to rest. This is your home now. Are you happy?"

"As long as I'm with you, I'll always be happy." Kate told him with a smile.

"I love you." Keith leaned in, Eskimo-kissing her.

"I love you too." Kate blushed.

"Ball's been over for two days now. I think it's time I show you who I really am." Keith said.

The hat came off as did the mask. Kate took a look at Keith and gasped, stunned. She knew that face. It had been seen on tv and magazines in very few appearances. It was a face the entire kingdom knew. Red hair in spikes paired with a smooth face and green eyes.

"Y-you're…you're…" Kate stammered. "T-the prince!"

"I am." Keith nodded.

"This entire time, I've been with…" Kate's voice trailed off.

"That's right. You, my dear girl, have been with the prince of Almia." Keith said. "I was in disguise like many others were. As with all the balls before me, it was my mission to seek out a maiden who I could love. Someone to see past the exterior to see what was inside. To love me as I am. And that someone is you."

"Me?!"

Keith's hand slipped onto Kate's. "Kate, you're beautiful. I was captivated by you the moment our eyes first met. And when I discovered the shining spirit that was inside those gorgeous blue eyes, I knew I found my true love. It had to be you. There's no other girl who compares to you, love. No one else is as sweet, kind or smart as you are. I love you."

Kate was still in a state of shock. She couldn't believe the past week she had spent was with the prince. The prince! A high class man who chose to spend time with her! How could someone so perfect be with someone so…so unperfect? A girl who was thrashed constantly with a regal prince. Keith seemed to be reading Kate's thoughts.

"You deserve happiness and so much more, Kate. I know you think you're not as good as anyone else but trust me, you are. You're worth more to me than the kingdoms entire jewel collection." Keith told her. "Those jerks spent years drilling negative ideas into your head and caused you severe injures; physical and emotional. And I want to spend the rest of my life healing you."

"Y-you want to be with me?" Kate stammered.

"Of course I do. Kate, I love you more than life itself." Keith murmured. "Please stay. Be my princess."

The prince stared right into Kate's eyes with such seriousness and passion. He really wanted Kate to stay. And Kate was touched by this. Her heart was beating fast. By the time Keith finished talking, tears spilled down the girks cheeks. It was a dream come true already that someone would love a girl like her. Kate was on cloud nine when she found how sweet Keith turned out to be. But a prince? A _prince_ loved her! Someone so amazing like him wanted to love and be with someone broken.

Kate wasn't sure what to make of this. She was a little scared to accept. A prince deserved a better lady. A girl who'd be pretty and charming. Kate wouldn't fit in with the lifestyle of the castle.

Yet…Kate found the courage within her. Her friends voices came into her head, saying that Kate earned this love. After all this time, she was free to be happy again.

Kate pecked Keith's cheek. "All I want is to be with you."

Keith's smile was radiant, overflowing with emotion. He grabbed Kate for a longer kiss on the lips and then held her within his arms. And there she stayed for a long time after.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Kate's injuries healed after time. While there were a few scars, they were faded and unnoticeable. Eventually, the pain that came with the wounds went away. Kate had never felt pain-free before (a bit of a shock). She soon was able to walk again, with Keith escorting her everywhere.

It wasn't easy adjusting to castle life but Kate managed. Her shyness was still a huge issue. For months, Keith patiently coaxed Kate to meet new people and explore more of Almia. It was a long process but the efforts paid off. Kate's confidence slowly built up. Her smile came out for more people than Keith. She could strike up conversation without fear. Soon, Kate felt she wanted to do more as a princess. Helped out people and pokemon whenever she could. Brought abuse to the public's attention so that it could be stopped. Kate's efforts inspired others who followed her example. Peace and friendship vibrated across the entire regions, making everyone happy. People and pokemon grew to love having Kate as a princess. Keith's parents were pleased to know their kingdom was prospering thanks her.

As for Kate and Keith themselves? Their love never ceased. They were almost always together; laughing, holding hands, smiling. What a cute sight. Everyone celebrated their love, wishing them eternal happiness. Marriage came a few years later, right before Keith's parents retired from the throne. Keith was a brilliant king who had a great queen at his side. In a few months, they'll have a little heir toddling around.

When it's time, that child will have their own Almia Ball. And they'll have their own love story. But none quite as thrilling as Kate and Keith's.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Chia: What do we got, boss?**

**I see Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and Hunger Games. Telling you right now, NOT HAPPENING. Nothing against Harry Potter (not that into it) but the other two I don't like. And don't mention Twilight *shudder*.**

**Chia: Next we've got feedback on shugo chara.**

**A lot of people seem to like it. I'll think of some way to make it work in the future. Same with looney toons. I can see possibilities for a oneshot.**

**Chia: Sailor Moon and Tokyo Mew Mew?**

**Sailor Moon's ok but I can't see myself writing it. Watching? Sure. Writing? No. And while I like Tokyo Mew Mew, same thing.**

**Chia: Someone wants more Disney. Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan and Princess & the Frog to be exact.**

**Mulan was done by another user so no point for me. Aladdin is a decent movie but I keep laughing how my teachers forbade it due to racism (cant write that seriously). Sleeping Beauty is…meh. Princess & the Frog? THAT has potential. Good news to Disney fans is I may write a scene from Oliver & Co. Love that movie so much.**

**Chia: Soul Eater?**

**I like the ideas and concept, characters are great and it's funny. I'd love to write this!...problem.**

**Chia: What?**

**I've only seen the first two anime episodes and some youtube clips. So if I did this idea, it wouldn't be for a long time. Not till I've done more 'research'.**

**Chia: That all the ideas?**

**No idea! Also if someone did not see their idea listed here, sorry! But I looked over all the reviews to find what I liked. Posted common requests here (or those that REALLY stood out). You'll see what I come up with soon enough!**

**Chia: NEXT UPDATE IS ALMOST HERE!**


	16. Princess & The Frog

**So after finishing that questionnaire in Metallic for the 1st anniversary of me writing SOA fanfics, I wondered what to do next. And guess what? A whole bunch of replies, pms and deviantart messages came flooding in. Tons of demands for Disney and/or Princess & The Frog. Then one particular reader of mine spoke out, saying she'd even coauthor with me on this project if it meant the story would get done. That was it. I knew I had to do this story.**

**Chia: HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO SKY AND HER READERS!...even if this story came out a few days late.**

**Hey I had to watch the movie AND write this out! Was not easy considering the recent plans being thrust on me by people and life. *crosses arms impatiently* I sacrificed my video game time. FOR MY READERS!**

**Chia: Hey, you had fun with this.**

…**.a couple pages in, I saw the potential my readers saw and yeah, I did end up having fun with this.**

**Chia: Read, review and enjoy!**

**NOTE****: There are going to be some very obvious changes between the movie and the story. Not just pokemon-wise. Had to make the story more original. So I hope you like what I've done!**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_A decade ago…_

"Please! Get to the next part!"

"Yuck! No! It's always so weird!"

Night fell on the region of Almia. On the west side of Pueltown was a nice house. Within that house, the lights were on in a little girls room. There were two young girls, who were the best of friends, playing in a room filled with pink stuff. The six year olds had been jumping around for awhile when one of the girls mothers had gotten them to settle down for the evening. How? By reading 'The Politoed Prince', a classic fairy tale.

"Come on Kate!" The blonde girl said. "Don't cover your ears! The good part's coming up!"

"No way, Rhythmi!" Kate, a brunnete with spiky pigtails, shook her head.

Kate's mom smiled and read on. "The politoed gave a pleading look up at the princess. 'Please' he begged 'Please kiss me. Set me free from this witch's curse'."

"Here comes my favorite part!" Rhythmi whispered, excited.

"The gorgeous princess was deeply moved by the desperate plea of the frog. So she stooped down and picked up the slippery creature." Kate's mom continued. "Slowly leaned forward, puckering her lips…"

Rhythmi was thrilled, hugging her skitty toy tight. Kate cringed, horrified at what was coming up.

"And kissed him!" Kate's mom said.

"EW!" Kate moaned, disgusted.

"So romantic!" Rhythmi sighed happily.

"The frog was transformed into the most handsome prince ever seen! He married the princess, taking her to his castle to live happily ever after." Kate's mom finished.

"YAY!" Rhythmi cheered. "Ooh! Read it again! Especially that kiss part! Please?"

"I'm looking out the window and I see your dad coming inside. That means its time for me and Kate to go home." Kate's mom told her.

"Bleck." Kate stuck her tongue out, still disgusted by the story. "I'd never kiss a politoed! No way! Never ever!"

"Well I would! I wanna meet my prince! Someone smart and brave! Ooh! And handsome!" Rhythmi said, starry eyed. "I'll kiss a thousand politoeds to find him!"

"Girls, you have all the time in the world to find your prince. Who knows? You might give a politoed a chance and see he's a real keeper." Kate's mom chuckled.

The bedroom door opened. In came Joel, Rhythmis' father _(author's note; don't ask how a Fiore ranger is in Almia. I needed more characters)_. Rhythmi ran up to him joyfully and gave him a big hug. The blonde pair laughed.

"Evening ladies." Joel greeted. "Thanks again for babysitting Rhythmi for the day."

"Of course. The girls had a fun day." Kate's mom responded. "And I know Elesa is a little busy with the new fashions coming out."

"She'll be back soon enough. And I have the next two days off so I can spend time with my little angel. Right, Rhythmi?" Joel said.

"Yay! Daddy gets to stay home!" Rhythmi cheered.

"Come on, Kate. We better get home." Kate's mom took her daughter's hand. "Your daddy should be home right about now. Can't keep him waiting, can we?"

Kate smiled as she left with her mom. There were sounds of her best friend laughing, playing with Joel. It only made the pigtailed girl that much more eager to go see her own dad. She followed her mom on their usual route out of Pueltown, through the Vien Woods, past the friendly Vientown and down into Chicole village. Kate loved her hometown. Always a beautiful place that was peaceful and quiet. The neighbors were friendly and the pokemon were happy.

Arriving home, Kate ran into the farm hour and into the living room. Her dad, Spenser, had been waiting for her. He laughed as Kate leapt into his arms and was twirled in the air. Kate's mom grinned as she watched the family have fun. Spenser, carrying Kate, walked over to give his wife a loving kiss.

"How was patrolling today?" Kate's mom asked.

"I bet you captured a hundred pokemon!" Kate chimed in.

Spenser chuckled. "Busy day full of quests to do. I even had a small mission. But hey, today was great. I helped out a lot of people and pokemon."

"You think you can wait on dinner? I was hoping to make dumpling soup." Kate's mom said.

"My favorite." Spenser beamed. "I think Kate and I will go outside. The smells will make us hungrier if we wait in here!"

Kate was hoisted up to Spenser's shoulders and taken into the cool outdoors. The girl laughed as Spenser ran around the yard, pretending to be a doduo Kate could ride. They chased each other and played for a little while. As the sky grew darker, the volbeat and illmuise glows appeared. Father and daughter sat on the porch to watch the pretty sight.

"Daddy? Can I see your ranger styler? Please?" Kate asked in a cute voice.

"Alright." Spenser chuckled, taking it out. "Since you asked nicely."

The capture styler; a proud symbol of being a ranger. Kate was always in awe as she saw her fathers styler. Oh the stories it could tell. Though it was always better to hear those stories through her father. He was a ranger leader who did exceptionally well, ranked high and became very famous to other rangers. It was awesome to have Spencer as a dad. And hearing stories of how he helped people and working with pokemon made Kate desperately wish to follow in his footsteps.

Spenser had known about this for a long time. He took Kate into his arms, watching his girl with a caring expression.

"Kate? I've seen you with pokemon. And I know you have a gift. A gift that should be shared with the world!" Spenser told her. "That's why I know you'll be one of the best rangers there ever was."

"You think so?" Kate asked.

"I know so. You're kind, loyal, always willing to help others and brave." Spenser answered.

"Hey my two strong rangers." Kate's mom peeked out at them through the window. "Dinner's ready! Better come in before it gets cold."

"No need to tell me twice, love." Spenser said, then ruffled Kate's hair. "Promise me you'll follow your dreams and your heart. Then you'll be a great ranger for sure."

"I promise daddy!"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Ten years passed in a blur. Quite a bit has changed since Kate's childhood. One of the more major events was her father passing away; died an honorable ranger. Though Kate missed her father dearly, her dream to become a ranger like him was only fueled stronger. Money was a little tight now. Kate's mom was busy with work. Ranger school cost money and Kate had to get part-time jobs to help pay for it. Teenagers didn't get the best of jobs or the greatest pay. Though every little bit helped.

Early one morning, the pigtailed teen girl dizzily stumbled into her room. She found the box under her bed where the coin jars shaped like pokemon were. The Pikachu, tepig, psyduck and eevee banks were full of pokedollars; bills and change. Kate slipped in a couple of coins to the increasingly filled up the togepi jar.

"Rough night. So much for those tips." Kate muttered. "Oh well. I'm making my way."

Working part-time as a waitress in an overnight restaurant wasn't easy. Had to rely solely on those tips and have three nights a week where there was almost no sleep. Kate collapsed on top of her bed to get roughly half an hour of sleep before the alarm clock went off. Time to start the day part-time job; café barista.

Took a quick shower, changed into a white top and black skirt uniform, grabbed her knapsack and ran out the front door. Hustled past the old route taken to Pueltown. She waved hello to all her neighbors, greeted the pokemon and enjoyed the bright day within Almia. One could almost hear a melodious tune float through the air. What a great place to be.

At the same time, people around the small open city were attending to their lives. Rhythmi and Joel left the house, ready to get some breakfast. There was a redhaired ranger patrolling around who attracted the ladies with a gleaming smile and smooth moves. A dark clad man was walking around the city to think up his next move while reading a newspaper article about the rangers.

The Puel Café was bustling like always. Kate managed to get into the groove, pretending each order was like a quest of some kind. While the chef prepared hot dishes or baked up the pastries, Kate handled coffee, deliveries to the table and odds & ends around shop. Managed to do it all at once with her special skills. Kate was known to the many regular customers for being as sweet as the sugar sprinkled French toast and full of energy like the specialty brew. Though the work was hard, Kate always put a smile on for the customers.

"Hey Kate! Over here!"

Kate glanced at a table to see Ben, Summer, Kellyn and Aria sitting at one of the booths. She came over to refill on two of their coffees while delivering pancakes to a booth next to them.

"Morning guys! What's going on?" Kate asked.

"We're going out to a new club tonight! Just opened up in the south side!" Ben replied.

"Care to join us?" Summer offered.

"HEY KATE!" The chef shouted. "ORDER UP!"

"Coming!" Kate called back. "You guys, I'd love to. But I need to catch up on my sleep. I just worked two late night shifts in a row. And I need to…"

"Save up for ranger school. We know already. Give it a break." Aria muttered.

"You sent out the application and you're waiting for an acceptance letter, right? Then working overtime should be no concern!" Kellyn said.

"True but I still need money to actually pay for schooling. And I'm really close!" Kate told him.

"You? Have the money for schooling?" Aria snickered. "That's a good one!"

"Aria!" Summer hissed.

"Face it, kiddo. With those two lame jobs you're working, you'll never save enough." Aria spat.

"Don't be a jerk, Aria." Kellyn frowned.

"Yeah! Quit being a bitch already!" Ben joined. "If Kate's busy, then she's busy!"

Kate shook her head and walked away. The chef got her several more plates to deliver to the other tables and a new pot of coffee. Joel entered the café, taking a window spot.

"Morning Joel!" Kate greeted. "Congrats on winning the Almia Parade King honor!"

"Ha. Caught me completely by surprise!" Joel chuckled. "…for the fourth year in a row."

"Care to celebrate with fresh cinnamon rolls? Your favorite?" Kate placed a plate of them before the blonde man.

"But of course." Joel started snacking on one. "Keep 'em coming!"

"KATE!"

Rhythmi burst into the café, giddy and hyper. She gave Kate a tight hug before ushering her over to her dads table.

Kate laughed at her friend's good mood. "Do I sense you're happier than usual?"

"You know me so well!" Rhythmi giggled, sitting down. "I feel like bouncing off the walls! My Masquerade Party is tonight! The costume is perfect, all the guests are coming over and I might even meet my prince charming tonight!"

Ah that's right. Rhythmi was hosting a party. Three days ago, she got a letter from ranger school. She had been accepted as a student, allowing her to one day become an operator. Kate still hadn't received her letter yet. A little worrisome but maybe the postal service was acting up or something.

"Hey Rhyth? Word of advice from my mother." Kate got out another plate of cinnamon rolls. "The quickest way to a mans heart is through his stomach."

Rhythmi stared at her. Then at the cinnamon rolls. And back at Kate. The gears seemed to be churning before a light bulb moment struck. Rhythmi bolted from her seat to hug Kate some more.

"KATE! That's it!" Rhythmi squealed. "You come to my party and serve some desserts! I'll need about five…no make it six hundred of whatever you decide to make! Something sweet and exotic! Or maybe cool and juicy? You totally decide!"

The blonde girl pulled out her dads wallet and dug out tons of dollar bills. Rhythmi raced back to Kate to put those dollar bills into her hands.

"This'll cover the rest of your ranger school funds, right?" Rhythmi asked.

"Y-yes!" Kate answered, stunned. "This is it! I finally have enough for ranger school!"

"My prince is coming soon! I can feel it! And both our dreams are coming true!" Rhythmi sang. "Ooh! I gotta get ready! Daddy we need to go!"

At the booth in the back, Aria gaped in shock as the others grinned proudly. Kate was now starting to dance around with her best friend, estatic. Finally! Time to quit those jobs and go off to become a ranger! Er…when the acceptance letter comes of course.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Kate sat on the east side of Vientown, at the edge of the bridge. It was the bridge that led over the water to a small island where the ranger school was. She gazed at the magnificent place with pride and a big smile. Soon enough, she'd be going there to follow the footsteps of her dad.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Kate's mom sat down beside her. There was a small package wrapped in colored tissue and placed in Kate's lap. Kate quickly opened it to reveal a very precious gift inside.

"M-mom…" She gasped. "Is this…?"

"Daddy's old styler? Yep." Kate's mom smiled. "The rangers deactivated it and let me keep it. Now I'll pass it onto you for luck. I think it's what he would've wanted."

Tears filled the eyes of both girls. They hugged each other as a few of those tears slipped out. Kate felt a little choked up about her father, wishing he was right here with them both.

"It's ok. I miss him too." Kate's mom whispered.

"If only he could see me now." Kate sniffled.

"I know he's watching over you." Kate's mom smiled. "So, you excited for school yet?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course I am! I'll graduate with high honors and get sent to a great base! Maybe Vientown so I can stay by you! Or somewhere interesting like…um…Summerland!" Kate rambled, excited. "And once I get to be really good, I'll get a transfer to the Union! Maybe I could be a top ranger one day! It'd give me more opportunities to travel around and help those in need even more! Like a forest fire that erupts or searching for avalanche survivors in a volcano!"

Kate's mom laughed. "You are your daddy's daughter. No doubt about it. He used to tell me about his quests and missions with such rigor. And he was very thrilled when he found out you wanted to be a ranger like him."

Spenser always had that special energy within him. Kate remembered how he barely seemed tired, even after a hard day of missions. Always took the time to give Kate ranger'ing tips or talk to her about anything. Devoted time to his wife and his daughter, giving them endless love. Kate wanted to be like him as both a ranger and a person.

"Though I do have one request." Kate's mom said. "You've been working hard for a long time. Don't forget to relax and have fun."

"And I will. I'm almost to my dreams!" Kate promised. "I'll get that acceptance letter, go off to school soon and study! Then, I'll be there! Ranger Kate, reporting for duty!"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Meanwhile, in Pueltown, a ranger was scoping out the city. Girls stared, smitten with the fiery personality that matched his wild spiky red hair. The ranger, knowing he was watched, gave a flirtatious smirk and showed off his muscles. Some of the girls whispered about him.

"Who is that?"

"He's so cute!"

"You think he's taken?"

"Guys! It's Ranger Keith!"

"Yeah! He came all the way from Fiore! He's on today's featured article in the newspaper!"

Keith, curious about that last part, went to a news stand to glance at the front page. There was his picture; taken at the last mission. He was a ranger for almost a year and he gained attention for the numerous successes in Fiore. Stopping a gyrados rampage, thieves at the Fall City clock tower, showdown with an entei at the temple…all sorts of stuff. And it was these missions that got the Union's attention.

"I may not be top ranger yet." Keith thought confidently. "But I will be soon enough."

The Union transferred him over due to a bit of strange activity in Almia. Strange reports of shadows and darkness along with a few disappearances. Though it might not be too big, it'd be useful to have more rangers around. So Keith would do a little investigating while going on big missions or questing in exotic locations. He'd get to the bottom of this situation in no time.

"Well hello ranger."

Keith turned to see the adoring fans were gone and instead, there was a man. Had to be in his thirties. His skin looked so pale compared to the black suit, the shades and the dark hair wrapped in a short ponytail. The man pulled out a card and handed it to the redhead.

"My card." The dark man said. "My name is Blake Hall. You are…Keith? Correct?"

"Yep!" Keith scanned over the card. "You do fortune reading?"

"I predict the future, create charms and solve problems." Blake told him. "How else do I know your name and that you came to Almia because of your heroics?"

"Probably the newspaper." Keith mentally noted.

"You're a ranger who has done many fine things. How about I read your future? For free?" Blake offered.

Fake fortune telling for free? Might as well have a little fun and humor this guy.

"Sure thing." Keith accepted. " Lead the way."

"Oh? But we're already here." Blake said.

Huh? Well what do you know? They must have been walking along during the chat. Headed down a corridor to a secret plaza of sorta. Kind of a gloomy place. A dead oak tree in the center, abandoned buildings and wind howling. At the very back was a black door with iron letters on a wooden sign beside it; Magic Hall. And as if it was magic, the door opened up all on its own.

"You're in my world now, ranger." Blake told him. "And I've got friends on the other side."

"You mean like assistants? Or part-time workers?" Keith asked as he was led inside.

"Something like that." Blake smirked.

Once inside, the door slammed shut. At the back of the room, a red light flickered on. It wasn't much to see but Keith could take a glance around. For a guy who did lame fortunes and fake tricks, he did a good job creating atmosphere. Plastic skeletons, bottles of 'potions', strange charms and books scattered around. Even a voodoo doll or two were about.

"We get new guest?"

There was someone else who stepped from the shadows. A large, heavy fellow who had short yellow hair in tiny spikes and dressed in a yellow outfit. His tan, accent and clothes told Keith he was most likely foreign.

"This is Heath, my assistant." Blake introduced. "Heath! Show Keith to his seat!"

"Yes Hall sir." Heath bowed his head.

Keith followed Keith to the back where the light came from. There was a small tent that held a table with an orange tablecloth, two old-fashioned chairs and candles. Keith thought he saw an illusion of moving shadows or masks hung on the wall. He shrugged it off and sat down in one of the chairs. Heath stood to the side as Blake sat across the table in the other chair.

Blake whipped out a pack of cards and shuffled them around. He had some mad skills. Keith couldn't keep track of how the cards were moved around. Nice job.

"These cards will predict the past, present and your future." Blake said, holding them face down to Keith. "Pick three."

Keith picked three as asked without hesitation. Blake set them on the table but didn't put them face up right away. He spread them out and waved his hands over the cards.

"Now then." Blake flipped the first card on Keith's left. "You were a hot shot ranger who took on any mission he could and conquered the day. Lived for adventure and excitement. Though you're criticized for being rash, you're still mighty proud of the work you've accomplished."

Alright. Not a bad start. Blake flipped over the second card in the middle.

"You're transferred to Almia to begin work on a new case. And you're becoming quite the ladies man, eh?" Blake continued.

"Can't help being born with these good looks." Keith chuckled.

"True, I suppose." Blake took the third card. "Your future? I see green."

"Green? Like what kind of green?" Keith questioned. "Green like the forest? Green as in money? I don't really care about that. Or green like the green hair of that top ranger girl? Are you saying I'll be a top ranger just like her soon?"

Blake said nothing. He took the cards and shuffled them back up. The cards were handed to Heath with instructions muttered. Heath nodded, going over to the side to get something. Keith was about to ask what was going on when Blake got up and went to Keith.

"Come on." A hand was held out. "Care to shake hands with an old man?"

A little weird. But what was wrong with that? Keith shook hands with Blake. Blake seemed calm at first but the smirk came back. And it suddenly grew twisted as the atmosphere became tense. The air was pressuring with lights turning to purple and black.

"Are you ready, Keith?" Blake hissed.

"W-wait what?" Keith stammered, confused.

Blake tossed a smoke bomb into the tent. There was a flash before a huge wall of strange heads appeared. Shadows quickly flew around the room. A quick drum beat filled with air. Keith tried to get up but a pair of ekans caught him. They strapped him into the chair, trapping the redhead. He struggled to break free but was confined tightly. From the floor came a dark pool of pure darkness. And a pokemon rose from it; Darkrai. Blake had an evil grin as he grabbed an item from Darkrai. It was a necklace. A simple string with a diamond shaped black crystal on the end.

"Transformation! Reformation! Alteration!" Blake called out.

The dark man snuck up to Keith, stabbing the dark crystal into his arm. Keith yelped as he felt some his blood get drained. The crystal soon was retracted. But it left a strange green glowing spot on Keith. A paralyzing fear seized the redhead. Keith gasped in horror as the green glow spread across his entire body quickly. His body felt like it was turning into a liquid and changing around! A green, swirling wind surrounded him as this took place. Keith was shrinking in size while the body morphed into something else entirely.

"You got your green future, ranger!" Blake laughed menacingly. "And soon, my own future of black will be here as well!"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Flash forward hours later; it's night time at Rhythmi's house. Her party was in full swing. All of the people Rhythmi invited came as well as guests or Joel's friends. Everybody had gone in costume and seemed to be having the time of their lives. Be it dancing under the lantern decorations or talking with buddies. Or even munching away at the food served at the snack tables. The most popular one being Kate's dessert cart.

Kate, dressed as an angel, was serving an old family favorite cake; Chocolate Dream. Dark chocolate cake with a fudgey center and topped with two layers of chocolate frosting, chocolate sprinkles and a white chocolate rose. People seemed to love it! Good thing extra was being made. Kate enjoyed talking to people and watching the festivities go on.

"KATE!"

First came the cry, then Rhythmi. Rhythmi dressed herself like a princess with a pink dress full of frills and glitter. To compliment that was a tiara and ribbons. It seemed to puffy and girly for Kate's taste. Rhythmi seemed to be freaking out, grabbing napkins.

"I'm sweating too much! My make-up is running! And none of these guys here are my prince!" Rhythmi wailed.

"Calm down! I'm sure your prince is out there somewhere!" Kate assured.

"I even lost my favorite shoe out there somewhere!" Rhythmi leaned on the stair railing that led up to the house. "I…I have to face facts. There's no sweet, smart guys out there who want me for who I am."

"Excuse me? Miss?"

The girls looked over to see a guy approach them. Seemed to be about their age. He had blonde hair cut in a mushroom style, greenish blue eyes and while he seemed sort of geeky, he also appeared to be a nice guy. Dressed up in an alakazam costume.

"I…er…I think you might have lost this." The guy awkwardly said, showing her an object.

Rhythmi gasped. "Yes! My lost shoe! I-I've been looking everywhere!"

"Allow me." The guy bent over, slipping the pink shoe on her foot. "Are you alright? You seem distressed."

"No I'm fine. I'm sorry but I don't know your name." Rhythmi said.

"Issac. And I assume you're Rhythmi?" The guy responded.

"Yep." Rhythmi nodded. "Thank you Issac. For helping me."

"My pleasure. Listen…um…" Issac nervously stammered, turning a bit pink in the face. "I-I hate to see a fine lady like yourself be alone. W-would you….um…"

"Dance? With me?" Rhythmi smiled wide. "YES! I'd love to!"

Before the stunned boy could speak, Rhythmi grabbed his hand and took him out to the dance floor. Kate couldn't help giggling as she watched her best friend become smitten with this mystery guy. He seemed to be a smart gentleman. As long as he didn't hurt the over-excited girl, Kate was fine with him. Who knows? Issac could be Rhythmi's long awaited prince. Kate went back to her dessert stand and watched the two dance away.

"Hello Katie."

Aria strutted by the table. Kate knew that Summer had been invited to the party; she was 2nd cousins with Rhythmi. Must've brought her friends along with them.

"Hi Aria." Kate greeted. "Cake?"

"Way too fattening." Aria gagged. "Soooo. You got that acceptance letter yet?"

"Not yet but it's coming any day now." Kate told her.

"Really? You think so? Poor, Kate. Ever the optimist." Aria sighed dramatically.

"What?" Kate stared at her.

"You didn't know? All the other ranger school students totally knew this so I'm surprised someone like you was left in the dark." Aria raised an eyebrow.

"Know what exactly?" Kate asked.

"About the letters due date. They come at random times but there was a date where all the letters would be delivered to each household at the latest. And that date's today. If you didn't get a letter today, then you didn't make the cut. You're not accepted into ranger school." Aria informed.

Kate froze in place, shocked beyond belief. What Aria said couldn't true. Could it? Aria usually messed with Kate and tried to mock her. Was this a trick? Something to psyche her out? Then again, Aria seemed serious about this. No tells that alerted Kate she was lying.

"Though I think it's for the best." Aria said. "I mean a girl like you wouldn't have lasted long in that place. Only the best come out of there and become rangers. Face it. You're not the best. No way you'd keep up with all that schoolwork."

"Excuse me?" Kate felt rage boiling.

"You'll never be like your father." Aria huffed.

"Now wait a damn minute….!" Kate was about to object.

Aria rolled her eyes. She shoved Kate out of her way and moved back to the dance floor. Kate was sent crashing into her table where the cake slices splattered over her and the ground. It hurt…but not as much as what Aria said. Made her throat close up and eyes get watery.

"Kate?"

Rhythmi stood over her with a worried expression. Issac was nearby, watching with a similar expression.

"I-I'm fine. Really." Kate mumbled as tears uncontrollably slipped out. "Go dance with Issac. This is your special night."

"And leave a friend all alone when she needs help? What kind of operator would I be otherwise?" Rhythmi helped her up. "Issac? Can you wait a few minutes? I'm going to help Kate out."

"Sure thing." Issac replied.

The blonde girl was starting to help the distraught brunette up the stairs. Rhythmi got them both to her bedroom so they could be alone and inspect the damage.

"The wings and halo for your costume are ruined. But I think we can save the dress." Rhythmi assessed. "Use my bathroom. There's soap and towels in there. You can wash out the chocolate before it stains. In the meantime, I'll help you improvise your costume."

"Uh…thanks Rhyth…" Kate muttered, her heart heavy.

Kate did as told and went to the bathroom. She slipped out of the dress, washing it up in the sink. Rhythmi was right; the dress wasn't damaged much. It could still be saved.

"I can't believe it, Kate! All those years I wished for a handsome prince who was kind, sweet and smart! Just when I think he'd never come, Issac shows up!" Rhythmi swooned. "So graceful! Such an amazing guy! I think I'm in love!"

For a split second, Kate grinned. But a dark cloud still hung over her head.

"You know, it seems like only yesterday when we were just little kids." Rhythmi sighed.

"Yeah…" Kate quietly agreed.

"We dreamed about fairy tales and our futures. Now it's all coming together isn't it?" Rhythmi went on.

No response. Kate sniffled, feeling terribly depressed. Dreams…that's all ranger school seemed to be for Kate now. So much for becoming a ranger and helping people. Choked up, Kate silently put her cleaned dress back on and went back into the bedroom. Rhythmi ran up to her to place a tiara on her head.

"There! All done! Now lets get back to the ball! I've got a prince waiting for me!" Rhythmi squealed.

"You go ahead." Kate smiled sadly. "I'll catch up later."

"Whatever you say." Rhythmi sashayed out of the room. "Onwards to my love!"

Kate was left alone in the bedroom. She let the tears come forth, splashing down her cheeks. The girl silently walked out to the balcony and looked out into the night sky. So close to her dreams; almost there. But they were out of reach. Maybe it was a sign that Kate wasn't good enough. That she didn't deserve to be a ranger.

The girl looked up at the stars. There was the bright, shining evening star.

"_Kate? You see that star? It's a special star!"_

"_Really daddy?"_

"_Yep! If you ever feel lost, then let the star guide you. It's always there to watch over you and help you find your way."_

"_But I don't need the star. I have you!"_

"_*chuckle* Yes. And I'll always be watching over you, sweetie. Always guiding you on your path. Just like the star."_

That memory came back to Kate, making her long for her dad. If only he could help her. She had never felt so lost and alone before. Kate looked around to make sure she was alone. Then her eyes watched the star.

"Dad? I…I don't know what to do. Things have been hard ever since you passed away. I didn't get into ranger school after all my hard work. All this time, I turned out to be a failure." Kate whispered, crying. "Now I'm lost and scared. Please help me."

Silence. Nothing seemed to happen.

Kate looked to the right to see a politoed hop onto the balcony. It surprised her at first but it was nothing major. Just another pokemon.

"So, I'm guessing you want a kiss." Kate sarcastically joked.

The politoed smirked. "I wouldn't say no to a cute girl like yourself."

"WHAT THE HELL!" Kate exclaimed, stumbling backwards in complete shock.

Kate had wobbled into Rhythmi's room and crashed right into her bookshelf. The politoed was shocked by the reaction and hopped inside.

"Aw geez! Sorry! I am really sorry about that!" He apologized frantically. "Didn't mean for that to happen at all!"

Freaked out, Kate took the books and started throwing them at the talking politoed.

"No wait! Stop! ACK!" Politoed tried to dodge the hits. "Wow you have a good throwing arm….NO NO NO! HOLD ON A SECOND! OWWW!"

Kate's hand scrambled to get another book. As she grabbed one and raised it like a baseball bat, the politoed jumped to Rhythmi's dresser.

"Stay away from me!" Kate angrily said, ready to hit him.

"Hear me out for one minute, princess!" Politoed pleaded. "At least let me tell you who I am! I am Ranger Keith and I come from Fiore."

Ranger Keith? Kate read about him in the paper.

"Ranger Keith is a human." She pointed out.

"I am human! Or at least I _was_ one." Keith told her. "One minute, I was a handsome ranger walking about. Next thing I know? I'm tripping over these stupid webbed feet!"

Kate was ready to hit him and Keith flinched. But he saw the cover of the book she held.

"Wait! That book! I know it!" Keith realized.

Kate set the book on the dresser, seeing the title. "The Politoed Prince?"

"Yeah! I read this as a kid!" Keith flipped the pages. "Yes! OH YES YES YES! I finally found the solution!"

"Solution?" Kate echoed.

"You, dear princess, have to kiss me." Keith said with a grin.

"EXCUSE ME?" Kate frowned.

"Trust me, princess. All girls who kissed me have left satisfied." Keith boasted in a suave voice.

"Sorry but as much as I'd like to help you, I….I can't! I do not kiss politoeds." Kate gagged, disgusted by the thought.

"On the balcony, you asked me…" Keith started to say.

"I was sarcastic, dummy!" Kate argued. "And I didn't think a politoed would talk back!"

"Ok, that's fair. But I am a charming ranger and I'm working for the Union. I'm sure that there's some way that we could repay you for your trouble. A type of reward or wish. Anything!" Keith offered.

Anything? Did that mean getting accepted into ranger school? If he was ranger Keith, then maybe he could pull some strings and get the school to go for it. Kate had the chance to go after her dreams!

"Just…one kiss?" Kate asked, hesitant and skeptical.

"Only one." Keith shrugged. "Unless you're dying for more."

Kate gulped. Keith wiped his lips, closed his eyes and puckered up. Kate slowly started to lean forward, scrunch her eyes and pucker her own lips. Getting close, she dared to take a peak. The sight of the politoed's very puckered up lips sent Kate into a panic. She backed out for a moment, gagging and taking deep breaths. Keith patiently waited for her to be done. Kate mentally told herself that this was for ranger school and to achieve her dreams. Just one kiss and this would be over soon enough.

With a thrust forward, Kate closed her eyes again and gave Keith his kiss. There was a shining green light that enveloped them both. Keith opened his eyes, expecting to be human. Nope. Same ol' politoed body. However he did see white dress in a crumpled heap where Kate used to be.

"Well I guess that didn't work." Kate brushed past the clothes. "…hey how come you're all the way up there? And I'm down here?"

Kate glanced at a nearby mirror. No human reflection. Instead there was a shiny politoed. Kate screamed and panicked, launching herself onto the dresser and crashing into Keith.

"Calm down!" Keith tried to reassure her.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!" Kate yelled, terrified. "LOOK AT ME! I'm all slimy and grosss! You turned me into a pokemon!"

"I'm sure there's a way to fix this!" Keith gulped, nervous.

"YOU JERK!" Kate growled.

She tackled Keith in fury. They landed on a rocking ponyta toy which sent them catapulting out the balcony. Both of them had crashed into the drums in the band that played for the party. The drummer pushed them off but the band mistook the cymbals clanging as the signal to speed the music up. Slow dancing turned to fast jazz in an instant. Kate and Keith accidentally bumped into Rhythmi, knocking her over.

"Rhythmi! A-are you alright?" Issac tried to help her, confused about what was going on.

Joel saw the scene, whipping out his styler. "Capture on!"

"Hurry! Run! We gotta get out of here!" Keith grabbed Kate and took off.

"I can't run! I'm a frog pokemon!" Kate yelled over the noise.

"Then hop for your life, damn it!" Keith shouted back.

Both politoeds ran across the banquet table in a mad race to avoid being captured by a ranger. They ended up destroying almost everything but really, they were more concerned about escaping. At the end of the table, they tripped and found themselves tangled in a mess of balloons. Joel closed in on them. Before he could get a chance to capture the pokemon, the strings were released and the balloons lifted high into the sky, taking Kate and Keith with them.

"I-I can't believe this…" Kate trembled. "We…we're so high up! I hate heights!"

"Ok if you're going to have a panic attack over every stupid little thing, then this is going to be a long night." Keith groaned.

As thunder boomed across the sky and rain began falling, a lone figure watched the frog pokemon float away. Blake snarled at the two before stomping off back to his shop ways away. Upon arriving, he saw Heath. Only…he didn't look himself. He looked exactly like Keith in his human form and wore that dark crystal around his neck.

"YOU LET THE POLITOED GO?!" Blake roared.

"He gasping for air!" Heath stammered. "I think to myself to loosen lid. Tiny bit! Me no think he escape!"

The necklace was torn off, reverting Heath back to himself again.

"Why me do this? I only work part of time as helper!" Heath argued.

"Cause the dark magic doesn't work on me. And I'll need someone to infiltrate the Union to get information. With those blasted rangers inspecting all the occurrences lately, they'll be onto me soon enough. I have to make sure to take them down now." Blake explained.

"What make you think I do dis?" Heath questioned.

"Because while I rise to power, I'll ensure your safety. You can gain control over part of the land and be rich beyond your wildest dreams. All you have to do is follow my instructions exactly." Blake answered.

Heath stared at his boss. Then at the necklace. He put it on and shifted into Keith's form.

"Perfect." Blake grinned.

"What about real ranger?" Heath asked.

"True. You slipped up." Blake whacked his forehead. "But luckily, it was only a minor mistake in the grand scheme of things. So long as his blood is in the dark shard, we'll be in business."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"DARK MAGIC?! YOU MESSED WITH DARK MAGIC?!"

The balloons took the politoeds high into the sky. They were hovering over Vien forest which, as pokemon, looked a lot bigger than previously thought. Rain turned into a storm that was beating down on the two cursed pokemon.

"You idiot!" Kate groaned. "Everyone knows that dark magic is something you don't fool around with!"

"Hey I thought the guy was a fake! Didn't think he'd turn me into a frog pokemon!" Keith snapped.

Kate sighed. "And here I thought I'd finally achieve my dreams. So much for all my hard work."

"Hard work? You're a princess. Princess don't need to work." Keith stared at her like she was crazy.

"Princess? Me? I'm not a princess." Kate told him. "I've been working as a café barista for awhile."

"WHAT?! No duh the kiss didn't work!" Keith face-palmed. "You lied!"

"I never said I was a princess! And for the record, you ain't no prince yourself." Kate huffed.

"A café barista? Seriously? What rotten luck I've got!" Keith moaned. "I run into a girl in a dress and tiara who turns out to be serving mocha lattes and sweeping floors."

"It was a costume party, dumbass. I only dressed like a princess." Kate muttered.

KERPOW!

Lightning struck the balloons and the pokemon. Kate and Keith cried out in pain as they were electrocuted. The balloons popped, sending them both falling deep into the woods and sent splashing into the lake. Shreds of the balloon fell on their heads as they emerged, trying to stay afloat.

"If you think…I'm going to help you now…" Keith panted. "You're clearly mistaken!"

"What?!" Kate exclaimed.

"I only agreed to help you if you helped me. And is this helping? NO." Keith told her, still mad.

"You idiot! I kiss you and turn into a politoed only to have you back out?" Kate growled.

Both politoeds made it to shore, out of breath. Keith was resting but Kate decided to go on ahead without him. The green politoed saw this and tried to race after her.

"Whoa! Where do you think you're going?" He questioned.

"Away from you! What kind of ranger wouldn't keep a promise?" Kate sharply answered.

"Our best chance of either of us turning back to normal is to stay together. As much as I hate that option…" Keith told her.

"Forget it! I'd rather wander around alone than spend another minute with a brat like you!" Kate snapped.

"Alright! Fine! I'll uphold my end of the bargain! We get back to normal and I'll do whatever you want. This time I swear on my ranger career." Keith vowed.

Kate gave him a cynical look but then glanced at something else. "Hey Keith? Why are those logs moving?"

Keith took a look at what she meant. In the tall grass, there were strange logs moving towards them. With beady eyes and sharp teeth.

"Those aren't logs." Keith whispered. "They're carnivine!"

Five carnivine leapt out of nowhere and started snapping their jaws. Both politoeds crazily leapt all over the place to avoid being eaten. Kate managed to slip out of the tussled and take a high jump up to a tree. There was a hole that led to a hollowed out spot on the inside. Keith noticed her and followed. The carnivine tried to stop him but couldn't jump or climb that high. So they waited. At the bottom of the tree, they sat in wait for the two politoeds.

"We're going to be here awhile." Kate sighed.

Keith smirked. "Might as well make the best of it."

Before he could pull a move, Kate slapped Keith clean across the face. The ranger yelped and learned to back off. They slept on opposite sides of the hiding spot as the storm continued to rage on outside. Their first night as pokemon…and hopefully, their last.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Sunlight lit up Vien Forest in a lovely glow as morning came to Almia. Keith had been peacefully sleeping until an apricot smacked him upside the head.

"Hey wake up snorlax! Carnivine are gone!"

Keith groaned, rubbing his politoed head. He met Kate at the bottom of the tree and the two started to walk.

"We better get out of this place and find a way out of the mess YOU created." Kate said.

"Fine. But let me say that I wasn't the one with a fake tiara on her head." Keith yawned.

Kate rolled her eyes and led the way. Keith instantly became bored. With nothing else to do, he started humming the Pokemon Theme Song and clapping his froggy hands. Kate was irritated but said nothing. Neither could see that along the riverside they walked by, something followed them. A bump rose from the water with eyes glaring. It took a minute for Kate to see it.

"KEITH LOOK OUT!" Kate shouted as the bump's head moved closer to Keith.

Keith did a double take and grabbed Kate, wrapping her in a terrified hug. Both waited for the creature to devour them both.

"_I know that tune! It's the Pokemon Theme song!" _

It was a blastoise. Both politoeds stared in disbelief as the blastoise pulled out a ukulele and played the song.

Keith laughed and found himself singing the lyrics. "Pokemon! Gotta catch 'em all! It's you and me. I know it's our destiny!"

"_Where've you been all my life?"_ Blastoise chuckled.

"And where did you learn to play the ukulele?" Keith asked.

"_I was born in Obliva. Lots of pokemon know how to play music! I used to jam with a ukulele pichu every night when I was a mere squirtle!"_ Blastoise replied. _"The name's Squirt, by the way."_

"You ain't no squirt now." Keith chuckled.

"_Eh. No mood to change my name."_ Squirt shrugged. _"You two got names?"_

"I'm Keith. And she's…er…" Keith's voice trailed off.

"Kate." Kate replied. "Nice to meet you, Squirt."

"You know with your talent, you could probably play concerts or be a great gig at parties!" Keith commented.

"_Oh it's been my dream to play in the big leagues!"_ Squirt sighed.

"Why don't you?" Kate asked.

"_I tried."_ Squirt's head hung low. _"__That__ didn't end well."_

A blastoise playing ukulele might freak people out. Understandable.

"Sorry it didn't work out. But we have to go. Gotta get a spell taken off of us." Kate said.

"_Spell? What spell?"_ Blastoise asked.

"Ok brace yourself for this." Keith cleared his throat. "We're not politoeds. We happen to be humans trapped in a politoed curse!"

Blastoise laughed at first. But seeing how the politoeds didn't laugh with him, he gave them a look. _"You serious?"_

"Yep." Kate nodded.

"And fyi, don't bother kissing that one. She sucks at kissing." Keith glanced at Kate.

"HEY!" Kate exclaimed. "This whole mess was your damn fault! If you just stayed away from that man and his dark magic…"

"_DARK MAGIC?!"_ Squirt shivered, looking frightened._ "T-that stuff's dangerous!"_

"Apparently, someone didn't know that." Kate glared at Keith.

"_I guess you guys are going to go see Misty, the Light Magic Witch."_ Squirt assumed.

"Misty the Light Magic Witch?" Both politoeds echoed.

"_She does same stuff dark magic folks do but for good and light! I heard she's over 200 years old yet she looks like a teenager!"_ Squirt said.

"Then can you take us to her? She might help us out." Kate requested.

"_ME? Go to the deepest, darkest part of Vien Forest with untold dangers and horrors? No way!"_ Squirt refused.

The blastoise settled against a tree and started to play the ukulele. Kate sighed, feeling like hope was here and then lost again. Keith didn't seem too disturbed about this. He had Kate wait where she was and went over to Squirt.

"You know, it's too bad you can't take us. Maybe Misty can turn you human and you'd be able to play for all those music fans. Without scaring them." Keith told him.

Squirt paused.

"Oh well. What a shame." Keith shrugged, walking away. "Good luck with your dreams, buddy."

"_Now hold on! You really think Misty can help me?"_ Squirt questioned, excited.

"Anything's possible." Keith replied.

"_Then let's go already!"_ Squirt shouted.

He did a huge cannonball into the river. Kate and Keith hopped onto his back, riding down on the river. About time things were starting to look up.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

From within his shop, Blake could sense there was trouble. He knew something was very off and that his plans were a bit skewed. Instantly, his mood turned to irritation. His senses were correct as Heath ran into the shop; not in Keith disguise but as himself.

"Boss! Da necklace! Blood gone!" Heath wheezed, out of breath.

"Tell me no one saw you change." Blake growled.

"N-no! Me hide it well!" Heath told him. "But I no can go back to Union without disguise! Me so close to info you need!"

Blake paced around the shop. "Well you cost us our politoed which means you lost his blood and our disguise. You'll have to lie low while I resort to asking help from some…._friends_."

Heath gulped. He knew what that meant. The large guy quickly ran from the room as Blake started the preparations. Tonight, when the moon was high and night wraps the city, he'd be making another call to the shadows; aka, his friends on the other side.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Flash forward to evening. The three pokemon friends had slowly traveled their way on the rivers currents. Eventually, discussion came to rangers. Turns out, Kate's dream was to be a ranger. Keith smirked, wondering how a girl like that could make it as a ranger. Listening to her talk on and on, the green politoed thought that maybe her nice attitude and willingness to help would make her an ok ranger. But nowhere near as good as Keith is.

He was suddenly starting to feel hungry. And his tongue was…twitchy? Like a frog pokemon, his tongue was lashing out into the air like a whip. Keith couldn't control himself! He was helpless as his own tongue started to lick the air. Kate was giggling at first but Keith laughed as her tongue started doing the same. Being a politoed sucked!

"ACK!"

Even more so when both tongues suddenly tangled up together in a big knot. This was…awkward. Keith and Kate's faces turned red & hot as they tried to get their tongues out of the knot.

"_You guys ok?"_ Squirt asked, staring at the two politoed on his back.

"NO!" Kate and Keith yelled.

"Wait! I'll go get a stick! A sharp one!" Squirt decided.

He set the two frog pokemon on the land and hurried off to get a stick. Embarrassed as he was, Keith was still trying to pry his tongue out of Kate's. And Kate was trying the same thing. Both were bickering constantly about whose fault this was or how idiotic the other was being.

"_Awwww! Look at how cute you two are!"_

From above came a ledian. She had big, innocent looking eyes that curiously looked over the tongue-tied politoed pair.

"_All wrapped up in love, eh?"_ Ledian winked.

"NO! WE'RE THUCK!"

"HEP US!"

Kate and Keith were yelling though with those tongues as they were, the words sort of got weird. Ledian wasn't affected by this at all. Instead she looked over the knot.

"_Oh I can help you fix this! First, I'll shed a little light."_ Ledian shook her wings to create a glowing gold dust that lit up the air around them _"Better! Now these next few twists might hurt a bit!"_

Ledian went straight to work on unwrapping the tongues and carefully guiding them out of the tight spots created. She hummed as she continued the painful work. After a minute, she yanked one end of the tongue. Bam! Keith and Kate were free again! Sure Keith felt his tongue was super sore but hey, we was out of that weird situation!

"_Oopsie! I forgot to introduce myself! My name's La'lanni but everyone calls me Lady."_ The ledian said with a courtesy. _"So who are you two?"_

"Kate and Keith. Long story but a certain someone turned us from human to politoed. Thanks to dark magic." Kate explained. "We're on our way to meet Misty so she can help us out."

"_Misty? The witch, right? You sillies! You're going the wrong way!"_ Lady giggled.

"The wrong way?!" Kate and Keith exclaimed.

"_What kind of stupid, weirdo took you here?"_ Lady asked.

"_GUYS! I FOUND A STICK! IT'S SUPER SHARP AND SPIKY!"_

From the bushes came Squirt. And yes, he found a stick.

Lady face palmed. _"First rule of Vien Forest, never take directions from a blastoise."_

"Hey Squrit! Why didn't you tell us you didn't know the way?" Keith questioned.

"_Heh…"_ Squirt sweatdropped. "_I thought I knew! But de um…the geography, the topography and the geology got so confusing! And then I thought of the geometry which only confused me more…"_

"_Not a problem. Let me help you out."_ Lady offered, then whistled. _"Hey guys! Over here!"_

Colorful glows soon filled the forest. Some were volbeat, some were illumise, others were ledians. A few dustox even decided to come out with their silver sparkles.

"_Everyone! These guys need help getting to Misty! How's about we show them the way_?" Lady called out.

Cheers came from the bug pokemon. Their glows shined brighter as they arranged themselves in a parade of lights.

"_Come on! We'll go in this direction!"_ Lady ushered.

Squirt got back in the water with the politoed on his back. He followed the path through the woods and swam under the comforting glow of the pokemon. Had to admit. This was pretty darn cool.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The time was right. Everything in place. Blake had managed to gather Darkrai and several of his shadow friends (Giratina, Zoroark, Mismagius and Froslass) together in his shop, which glowed black and purple.

"Friends! Though we are close and my debts are deep, it appears my plan hit a slight snag." Blake spoke. "See, our little green ranger has lost his way. And I need your gracious assistance to get him back."

Darkrai glared at him with mean red eyes. The other shadows seemed revolted by the request.

"I know you're not too pleased! But hear me out! I have a plan." Blake told them. "See, tomorrow is the Almia Parade. And the rangers have a float this year. I'll get my henchman to ride that float, sneak up on Professor Hastings & Chairperson Erma and POW! The old folks will go to their graves! Meanwhile I will take this chance to seize control and make the entire ranger organization fall! Without those pesky rangers, I can wrap this entire region in shadows! Maybe the world too one day! And in the darkness, you can reap all the souls you want. What do you say to that?"

Darkrai seemed very please at this offer. He waved his arms to summon up multiple dark ghost pokemon; a gengar, dusknoir, bannette and spirittomb to name a few.

Blake snickered. "Now this is what I'm talking about. Pokemon! We're hunting for a green politoed! Search everywhere and bring him to me alive!"

The shadow pokemon went right to work. They rushed from the shop and into the city, spreading out. Every nook and cranny was searched thoroughly. One way or another, these shadows would find the politoed.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

It was late evening and the sun was almost down completely. The bug pokemon went as far as they could before going back to their own area. Lady would take the group the rest of the way there. She was already best friends with the blastoise and two politoeds.

"_Hey thanks again guys!"_ Lady called as her friends left. _"Ooh! Don't forget to tell Miko I said bonjour!"_

"That your boyfriend?" Kate asked, inquisitive.

"_Nope. My guy's special. His name is Evander."_ Lady sighed happily.

"Evanderin?" Kate repeated the name.

"_The light in my life! I talk to him almost every night. He's quiet but loves listening to me." _Lady gushed. _"My heart always lights up when I think of him! And I know we'll be together forever!"_

"Awww! That's really sweet!" Kate smiled.

"Yeah, yeah. Sweet." Keith rolled his eyes. "Though if this Evanderin was smart, he wouldn't settle on a girl too quickly."

"Keith!" Kate snapped.

"What? I bet there are plenty of other ledians in the forest that this Evanderin guy would like." Keith said.

Kate groaned at Keith's ignorance. She clenched her jaws, picked up a stick and started to swipe through a thick prickle bush area. Keith followed behind her nonchalantly. Squirt tried to follow but…

"_OWWWW! THE PRICKER BUSH GOT ME!"_ The blastoise yelled dramatically, falling over. _"I-it's too late! Save yourselfs!"_

Lady sighed. _"Alright, let me help you. Now hold still."_

"_OW! THAT HURT!"_

"…_I didn't even come near you yet, ya big baby."_

Nobody could see three figures crouching in the bushes. They held nets, bats, a small cage and an assortment of supplies & objects.

"Hey Jessie? Why are we out in Almia?" A purple haired guy asked. "And why don't we have our pokemon or any pokeballs?"

"You can blame the author for that." A meowth replied, sweatdropping.

"Shush! Look!" A red haired girl, Jessie, pointed to the bushes. "Two politoeds ready for capturing!"

"And a shiny one! Perfect for the boss! Good eye, Jessie!" The purple haired guy said.

"Team Rocket, moving out!" Meowth declared in a hushed tone.

"Hey!" Jessie smacked Meowth's head. "I decide when we move out. And I say….now! Let's go!"

At the same time, the two politoeds were making their way through the pricker bushes. As humans, they could easily walk through and pick off the little spiky bits later. But alas, they were pokemon. Which meant swiping the branches away and navigating through carefully.

"Know what, coffee girl?" Keith spoke. "I think I figured out what's wrong with you."

"Oh really?" Kate muttered.

"Yep. You have no idea how to have fun. Sorry but someone had to say it." Keith said with a smirk.

"Is that right?" Kate grumbled, bitterly cutting off a branch in her way. "Well I figured out your problem."

"That I'm too awesome for my own good?" Keith guessed pompously.

"Nope." Kate swung a branch his way, knocking the green politoed down. "You are an arrogant idiot with a hotheaded temper. You're so competitive and blind to other peoples feelings."

Keith pretended to clear his throat. "COUGH COUGH lame. COUGH COUGH goody two shoes COUGH."

"Hey, I had to work a waitress and coffee barista job to pay for ranger school! I've worked hard!" Kate told him, annoyed. "Meanwhile you probably had an easy time getting into school, breezed through the work and went on crazy adventures."

Kate started hoping away. Keith was about to make a come back when…

SWIPE!

"I got one Jessie! I got one!" James called out, holding a net with Keith in it.

"Good! Get that blue one!" Jessie shouted.

Kate gasped as she found herself being chased after by a meowth and redhaired woman. Keith taken to a boat on the river and about to be thrown in a cage. Squirt had finally gotten the pricker out when he noticed the boat and guns.

"_POACHERS!"_ He shouted, jumping into the bushes in fear.

Lady shook head, then glanced at the boat. She held a paw to her mouth as she saw Keith struggling to get out. No time to hesitate. The ledian went into full speed and charged to the boat, launching a signal beam at the man. James cried out as his grip on the net released along with Keith. Keith didn't waste time jumping into the water.

Jessie and Meowth closed in on Kate. Hard to believe humans looked so different when you changed size. Kate found it was tricky to avoid these two. Though she tried her hardest, meowth tackled her as Jessie slammed the blue politoed into the small cage. Kate was choked up, terrified as she was taken back to the boat.

"Hey! What happened to yours?" Meowth asked James.

"Got away…" James sulked.

"No matter." Jessie smirked, sitting on top the cage. "We have a shiny poltioed which is extremely rare. The boss will love this one!"

"Now let's get going!" Meowth said as he and James grabbed the oars.

Keith popped out of the water, waving his arms in joy.

"Freedom! WOO! Aw man that was epic, right Ka-…" Keith stopped celebrating and looked around. "Aw no!"

Kate was on the boat! She was trapped inside the cage! Keith had to do something; he had to save her! Quickly pondering possibilities, Keith lashed out his tongue and stuck it to the boat. At first, easy water ski to the boat. But the guy didn't know how to stop.

THUD!

Crashed right into it. The Team Rocket members looked around as they heard the sound.

"Psst! You guys! Did you hear a suspicious thud sound?" James quietly asked.

"Yeah. I did." Meowth whispered.

Keith managed to sneak onto the boat and land on the meowth's head. Meowth had no idea that Keith was up there. But Jessie and James did. They grabbed a club and baseball bat, rising it ever so slightly.

Meowth noticed. "What?"

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Three strikes to meowth's head but none of them hit Keith. He dodged them all with cunning speed. Kate giggled at the sight. The Rocket members were hitting one of their own smack on the head but couldn't manage a single strike on Keith, who seemed to be having fun. Jessie growled, having enough. She got off the cage, which made it the perfect time for Kate to escape. Kate jumped out as Jessie grabbed a rifle, aiming it at Meowth and Keith (who was in front of Meowth's face).

"Why you little…" Jessie hissed.

Kate, not wanting Keith to get hurt, leapt on the rifle and made it lose aim. This time, it was right at James' crotch.

"EEP! NO NOT THERE!" James screeched like a little girl.

KABOOM!

The trigger went off and a gunshot made James' pants explode. Kate and Keith landed on Jessie's foot.

"Watch this." Keith said.

He flicked his tongue at Meowth. Meowth turned and tried to scrunch Jessie's foot. Both politoeds leapt off before the impact, going to Meowth's head. Jessie saw, using her rifle to hit meowth on the head. She missed the frog pokemon again. Kate and Keith played around; going from member to member and getting Team Rocket to hit the other. Had to admit. This was fun! By the end, they managed to knock out teeth, create some bruises and cause injuries these creeps deserved. Keith offered his paw, which Kate took, and hopped the pair onto the edge of the boat.

"Those two…" James wheezed. "Aren't normal politoeds….they're smart."

Kate grinned. "And we talk too."

The three Team Rocket members froze for a split second. Then they screamed and tried to get the boat going, acting all crazy in the meantime. Kate and Keith hopped to a nearby rock as they watched the weirdoes sped into the forest.

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKETS BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

The politoeds walked together through the tall grass and back to where they last saw their friends. Their moods were joyful what with the success of keeping those poachers away.

"And we talk too…pfft. I loved that!" Keith chuckled. "No idea you were so funny! Why keep it such a big secret."

Kate shrugged, smiling. "Not many people want to get to know me. Otherwise, they'd see I have a humorous side to me too."

"Glad I was able to see it for myself." Keith said. "So um…yeah. You know you're still a total goody two shoes. But you're not lame at all."

"Thanks Keith." Kate's smile was a tiny bit bigger.

"_OWEY! THAT ONE HURT!"_

"_Hold still! This one's in there really deep!"_

The politoeds hopped over to a clearing in the grass. Squirt cried out as pricker seeds were lodged all over his body and Lady helped to get rid of each one. Boy did that look painful.

"_Hey guys? I know you really want to see Misty asap but I think we better settle for the night. Even if I can get these darn things off of Squirt soon enough, it'd be a wise idea to rest up."_ Lady suggested.

"Poor Squirt." Kate patted the blastoise's head. "I guess some rest will do us good. There's plenty of berries here so I can make us some smoothies."

"_Smoothies sound so good! A sour one would be divine….OWWWWW!"_ Squirt replied.

Kate grabbed Keith's paw. "And you are going to be helping."

"ME?!" Keith exclaimed.

"I'll pick some berries and I need you to cut them into small pieces." Kate handed him a few rawst berries and a sharp knife-like rock. "Chop, chop!"

The shiny politoed went off to collect more berries nearby. Keith stared after her, then down at the berries. He placed them on a flat surfaced rock. Never had been much of a cook. Sometimes, he'd managed to burn ramen to a crisp. Keith slowly started to cut through the rawst berries and make them into smaller bits.

Kate used a hollowed out, slightly large figy berry as a mixer and cut out aguav berries as cups. She put a few more berries beside Keith. Noticing the progress, the blue politoed shook her head and took the knife.

"Watch." She said.

A peacha berry was taken and cut into bite sized pieces in three seconds flat! Keith gaped, amazed by this talent. The knife was put back in his hands. He felt his arms being guided by Kate as it chopped up a sitrus berry.

"See? Like that?" Kate said.

She let Keith go when he started to get the hang of it. Keith was sort of impressed by himself for learning this but also with Kate too.

"How do you know how to do this?" Keith asked.

"Back in the café, I wanted to make the pokemon happy as well as people. Not many options on the menu so I created smoothie drinks for them. Something to make them healthy and strong." Kate answered.

"That's really nice of you." Keith commented.

"I care a lot about pokemon." Kate sheepishly admitted, carving a watmel berry for Squirt's cup.

"It shows." Keith started on another berry. "You know, I've took down bad guys, handled enraged pokemon and even took on a really ticked off legendary. But I've never done something like this."

"Really? I couldn't tell." Kate joked.

"Not just cutting up berries or cooking. But…being with someone I can call a friend." Keith sighed, feeling a little down. "I hung out with other rangers sometimes or flirted with girls. It's just…they're not really people I could call friends. Maybe buddies. I…I never really made friends before. I guess I'm really alone."

Kate paused. Felt a little sorry for the green politoed. She stopped what she was doing to come over to Keith.

"Hey. You're my friend." Kate said. "And you're doing well cutting up those berries."

"Think so?" Keith blinked.

"Sure!" Kate replied, patting his back. "I'd hire you if I owned a café of my own."

"Really?" Keith asked.

Kate smirked. "No."

"What?! Aw come on!" Keith groaned as Kate burst into laughter. "Really? That was a low joke!"

Keith couldn't help but laugh himself. The two friends continued their work on the smoothies as the night grew late.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

In one part of the swap, the balloon pieces still remained. And it was these pieces that attracted the dark pokemons attention. They knew that their politoed had to be there in the woods somewhere.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Laughter was joined by two more pokemon when the smoothies were ready. Each unique to taste and enjoy. Smoothies were gulped down as stories were shared on the makeshift campground. For a strange blastoise and hyper ledian, they had some interesting stories. More to pokemon than meets the eye.

"Should I make any more smoothies?" Kate offered as she finished hers up.

"This is awesome!" Keith happily told her. "You know what? To tell what pokemon like and care about them this much? I think you've got a gift."

Kate blushed, touched by the compliment. No one had ever said anything that nice to her before.

"_There he is!"_ Lady squeaked, getting flustered as she looked to the sky. _"My Evanderin, the most darling creation ever known!"_

The politoeds hopped to a lilypad in the small lake nearby, looking for this mysterious lover.

"_You know, I wanna meet this Evanderin guy."_ Squirt said. _"Where is he?"_

"_Oh you can't miss him! He's right up there!"_ Lady said, flying into the sky.

It took everyone a moment to realize what Lady was referring to. The evening star in the sky. Lady was in love with a star.

_**Look how she lights up, the sky**_

_**My sweet Evanderin**_

"That ain't no…!" Squirt was about to laugh when an apricot was fired at his head.

Kate was guilty for that. Keith shushed him.

_**So far above yet I**_

_**Know his heart belongs to only me**_

Not exactly a pokemon. But this was sort of nice. Why spoil things for the ledian? She was flying around lovingly, creating gold glows of hearts and kissing the stars reflection in the water.

_**J'adore**_ ("I adore you") _**J'taime**_ ("I love you") _**Evanderin**_

Kate stared at Keith with a very peculiar look as he said those things.

"I was just translating!" Keith frantically told her. "Saw it in a movie!"

_**You're my king of the night**_

_**So still, so bright**_

_**To someone as beautiful as she**_

_**Who loves someone like me**_

The song kind of made Keith want to dance. He rose from his spot, taking Kate with him. Kate got anxious at this and could tell what was going on. She squirmed right from his grasp and took a few clumsy steps back.

"I-I don't dance." Kate told him nervously.

Keith ignored her and tried to take her in again. Kate pushed his paws away, leaping over to another lily pad.

_**Love always finds a way, it's true**_

"I don't know how to dance." She mumbled, humiliated.

There was a gentle smile on Keith's face. He took the stem of the lilypad Kate was on and yanked it. Kate was startled as her lilypad drew close to Keith's. Keith took her paws, getting them in dancing position.

_**And I love you, Evanderin**_

"You taught me to make smoothies. Now I'll teach you to dance." He murmured.

A soft ukulele melody (courtesy of Squirt) filled the air as Kate and Keith began to awkwardly dance on the lily pads. Keith wasn't exactly skilled with this sort of thing but he'd look like a pro next to Kate, who stumbled. They were twirling around quite a bit as the blastoise and ledian watched them. Lady decided to help out by lighting the pink lilies. Using the move flash and pink & blue leaves, she could create spotlights for the politoed pair to dance under.

_**Love is beautiful**_

_**Love is wonderful**_

Keith took Kate under the water, where they continued their dance. It worked out better for Kate. Her moves glided wonderfully in the water and she was having fun. Keith was liking this too. He had a blast dancing along with the blue politoed. Using the water and their skilled swimming skills, Kate and Keith blasted off of the lake's bottom and shot up into the air. They laughed as they carefully descended down onto the lily pad again.

_**Love is everything, do you agree?**_

There was something in Kate's crystal blue eyes that Keith failed to see before. A twinkle of light in them that made his heart race. Kate was seeing Keith's emerald eyes shine with a soft light that made something inside her stir. Smiles automatically appeared on their faces along with a slight pink hue.

_**Look how he lights up the sky**_

With emotions running high, the two politoeds were wrapped in an embrace, eyes closed and found themselves leaning closer to each other.

_**My sweet Evanderin**_

Their faces nearly touched. Keith almost started to pucker his lips when both opened their eyes. Kate looked really confused and uncomfortable with this. She slipped out of Keith's arms; her face red and looking painfully shy.

"Yeah um…" The blue politoed quietly stammered. "W-we better get moving. To Misty's place that is."

Kate leapt away before Keith could object. He sighed, sitting on the lily pad. There was this depressed, let down sort of feeling. It was like the low that came after a sugar high. Only worse. Keith's once soaring heart was filled with heaviness now. Which made it impossible for Keith to see something sneaking up on him.

"WAAAHHHHH! KATE! HELP!"

"KEITH!" Kate yelled, horrified.

As dark pokemon snatched Keith and dragged him through the woods, Kate chased after him. Squirt and Lady were right with her to help out. Keith grabbed onto the branch of a tree. A bannette and dusknoir were tugging on him to let go but Keith refused to budge. His grip was loosened thanks to a haunter's lick attack. Keith cried out as he was carried further.

"AHA!"

The bannette carrying Keith disappeared when it was attacked by a flash of light. Keith was dropped into the water. More dark pokemon met the same fate; flashes of light destroying them. It didn't take long before all the pokemon that kidnapped Keith were gone. Kate, Squirt and Lady caught up as a figure showed through the mist. The pokemon were nervous to see the silhouette slowly walk towards them.

"Not bad for a 219 year old girl, eh?"

There was a girl with short, tomboyish orange hair. She wore sandals and a white swimsuit with blue ridges. A white jacket covered her up. In her hands was a silver tree branch that appeared to be some kind of wand. This had to be Misty!

"Ok then." Misty said. "Which one of you got involved with a dark magic man?"

Silence. Three pokemon pointed directly at Keith.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Flash forward some ways.

Misty took the pokemon to her home, which was unusual. On the outside, it looked like a simple little hut. But the inside was so different. Larger than you'd think! There was an Olympic sized swimming pool in the center of the place. Some pokemon were swimming about within it. Outer edges held shelves with books, charms, potions and strange objects. Weird clash of interests.

"Hiya Lady! How's your auntie doing?" Misty asked.

"_Same ol', same ol'. Got in trouble for flashing some saucy Morse code messages."_ Lady giggled.

"I always did like her." Misty chuckled. "A unique personality for an old gal."

"So Misty…?" Kate spoke up.

"You and the ranger there want to be human again, don't you?" Misty said casually.

"Yes! That's i-…" Kate was about to say.

"Wait for a minute please." Misty stopped her.

Kate backed off, doing as asked. The ginger girl took a deep breath, whipping her jacket off to the side. She held her arms out and closed her eyes. Then fell back in the pool with a deep splash. Kate and Keith went to the edge to see if she needed help. She didn't. Misty was starting to swim around, peacefully enjoying the water.

"_You sure this is the right Misty the Light Witch? The right 200-something lady who lives in an indoor pool and conjures up spells?"_ Squirt questioned.

"_Pretty sure."_ Lady shrugged.

"I totally needed this." Misty sighed. "Now then you two. Figure out what you need?"

"Um. It's like you said." Kate gave her a puzzled look. "We need to be human."

"WRONG!"

Misty's loud voice startled the politoeds. Kate would've fallen into the water if Keith hadn't caught her, holding her close.

"You want to be human. But is that what you need?" Misty questioned.

"Want, need, same thing." Keith said.

"Wrong again!" Misty whacked him on the head with her wand.

Odd. Music filled the air. Sort of catchy actually.

"_So we only have two songs throughout the whole story? And they're delayed till now?"_ Squirt questioned.

"_Our author isn't exactly consistent, is she?"_ Lady sighed.

As music started up and the pokemon got into rhythm, Misty started dancing around in her pool. Her water type pokemon were joining in.

_**Don't matter what you look like**_

_**Don't matter what you wear**_

_**How many rings you have on your hand**_

_**We don't care! (no, we don't care!)**_

Kate and Keith were tapping their feet, kind of liking this song.

_**Don't matter where you come from**_

_**Don't even matter what you are**_

_**A piplup, a seel, a wooper, a buizel**_

_**Got em all in here! (Got em all in here!)**_

Lots of pokemon swimming around now. Misty had climbed onto a lapras and kept on singing.

_**And they all knew what they wanted**_

_**What they wanted me to do**_

_**I told 'em what they needed**_

_**Just like I'm telling you!**_

Misty tossed Squirt and Lady tambourines. Kate and Keith were getting into the groove, dancing with the other pokemon.

_**You gotta dig a little deeper**_

_**Find out who you are**_

_**You gotta dig a little deeper**_

_**It really ain't that far!**_

A clampearl wobbled up to the politoeds. Kate gazed at the pearl that the clampearl made, intrigued by its shine and color. Keith saw Kate's lit up face and watched her, gently smiling.

_**When you find out who you are**_

_**You'll find out what you need**_

_**Blue skies and sunshine guaranteed. **_

Kate thought something was unusual. She looked at Keith, who backed off with a sheepish look on his face.

_**You gotta dig! (dig!)**_

_**Come on and dig! (dig!)**_

Keith was taken by a staryu to the lapras where Misty was.

_**Ranger froggy's a charming boy**_

_**He wants attention again**_

The green politoed nodded.

_**That ain't gonna make you happy now**_

_**Did it make you happy then? NO!**_

Chinchou started flashing spotlights on Keith. He liked it at first but soon it was overwhelming! All the bright lights, the heat…it got to him!

_**Attention ain't all it is**_

_**Attention's not what you need**_

_**Just get yourself some self-control**_

_**Make yourself a fresh new start!**_

The lights died down, making Keith relax a bit.

_**You gotta dig a little deeper**_

_**Don't have far to go.**_

Misty took Keith and faced him in Kate's direction. Kate was with Lady, laughing and dancing away. Keith was stunned. Kate looked so cute and sweet having fun like that.

_**You gotta dig a little deeper**_

_**Tell people Misty told you so**_

Seeing the blue politoed spirited like that struck a chord in Keith. He couldn't help but feel overjoyed. His heart beat faster just looking at her. It was then Keith finally realized what Misty meant.

_**Can't tell what you'll find**_

_**Maybe love will grant a peace of mind**_

_**Dig a little deeper and you'll know.**_

Keith was taken off lapras by a sealeo while Kate was brought to Misty via mantyke.

_**Miss froggy? Might I have a word?**_

"Yes…?" Kate nervously said.

You're a hard one from what I heard.

Misty waved her wand in the water, creating a mini whirlpool. An image appeared. It was Kate when she was younger! And in the arms of her dad! Kate teared up, remembering her and Spenser's special bond.

_**Your daddy was a loving man**_

_**Family through and through**_

_**You're your daddy's daughter**_

_**What he had in him, you've got in you**_

_**You gotta dig a little deeper**_

_**For you, it'll be tough**_

Misty and Kate hopped from wailmer to wailmer, dancing about. Keith gazed at her with excitement.

_**You gotta dig a little deeper**_

_**You haven't dug far enough**_

_**Dig down deep inside yourself**_

_**You'll find out what you need**_

They came to the back of a milotic, starting to climb up together.

_**Blue skies and sunshines guarenteed **_

_**Open the windows!**_

_**Let in the light!**_

_**(Blue skies and sunshine)**_

_**(Blue skies and sunshine)**_

Kate reached the head of milotic, bursting into song. "Blue skies and sunshiiiiiiine!"

Keith was wow'd by her strong, musical voice.

_**Guarenteed!**_

_**(Aaaahhhhhh…)**_

"Well then. You know what you need?" Misty questioned.

"Yeah!" Kate paused. "Um…sort of. Not really. I think I need to work hard and become a strong ranger. T-to follow my dreams?"

A large groan by Misty and the pokemon signaled that she didn't get it. So much for that.

"_Let's sing again!"_ Lady cheered. _"Guys? Anyone? Nobody wanna sing with me?"_

Misty and Kate slid off of milotic, back onto the floor by Keith.

"You two are dead set on being human. And there's really only one way to do that." Misty bent over to the water's edge, waving her wand. "Come on, waves of light! Show me a princess!"

There was a small whirlpool followed by another vision. In it was...Rhythmi? Yeah Rhythmi. She was sleeping away in bed.

"Wait Rhythmi?" Kate asked Misty. "She's not a princess."

"Shut up and look at the water." Misty shushed her.

The vision changed. Joel was wearing an extravagant king costume. Rhythmi awoke to squeal in joy. She was presented with a tiara which she wore on her head with glee.

"Right! Joel's king of the Almia Parade and that makes Rhythmi a princess!" Kate realized.

"That counts, right?" Keith asked.

"It does. But only until midnight, when the parade day is over." Misty warned. "You only have until then to get that kiss and turn you both back into human form."

"Then we have to get going!" Keith said.

"_Misty! Misty!"_ Squirt went up to her. _"I wanna be human too! To play ukulele with the other musicians! I want fingers and toes! A belly button; innie not outie. And a handsome face and…"_

Misty whacked his head. "You're a cute water type pokemon and you'll stay that way. Dig deeper. You'll find what you need."

"_We'll have to catch a fast moving current and swim to Pueltown. Hopefully we'll make it in time."_ Lady said.

"_Wait! I have a better idea!"_ Squirt said.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

On the edge of Almia, once you got out of Vien Forest, was a sharp cliff and a drop to the ocean. There was a ferry boat swimming not too far off. It was a tour boat that people took around Almia or for holidays, used as a party boat. Lots of bustling activity there.

Squirt swam the pokemon up and onto the boat with ease. Music was bursting from the rooms and excitement in the air.

"_Look out!"_ Lady pointed to silhouettes coming down the hall.

"_HUNTERS WITH GUNS!"_ Squirt shrieked.

Keith grabbed Kate and took her behind some boxes, keeping her close. Lady chose a hiding spot in the ceiling. Panicked and with no hiding spot, Squirt froze in place and hoped to pass off as a statue. Turns out, they weren't hunters. Instead it was several young men in pokemon costumes and with musical instruments. They spotted Squirt right away.

"Sweet costume, man!" The grovyle costumed guy said.

"Hey Blastoise? You play ukulele at all?" A gligar guy asked.

Squirt nervously whipped out his ukulele and started to play. Nice jazzy tune. The musicians seemed to really get into it.

"Perfect!" The cubone outfit guy clapped. "We need a ukulele player on our team for the Almia Parade float. And you have the pizzazz we're looking for!"

"Come on!" The gligar guy said. "Let's get going!"

Squirt gasped, thrilled beyond words. Playing his ukulele, he danced down the hallways and followed the musicians to one of the party rooms.

Kate and Keith were at ease again to see the danger over. They both noticed they were hugging, starting to blush deep red. With that, they let go and awkwardly looked away.

"_Hey you two! We hafta go see this!"_ Lady squealed. _"Squirt gets to play with the big boys!"_

"I'm not going to miss this!" Kate agreed.

"_Hurry! I can hear them starting up a new song!"_ Lady flew off.

Kate started to hop after but looked back at Keith. "Keith? You coming?"

"Uh yeah." Keith sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-you go on ahead. I'll catch up in a little while."

The blue politoed started to go after Lady. Keith grinned and watched her go. Such graceful movements. They weren't pokemon long yet she still did well. Keith wished to go with but there was too much on his mind already. And his heart.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The boat took all day to cross over the edges of Almia. But it'd arrive in Pueltown by night when the parade started. Not much farther before this whole thing would be over. Keith had kept to himself all day; alone with his thoughts. There was something he wanted desperately to do. Question was, should he go for it? Take a gigantic risk and possibly fail? Or stay quiet about it?

In the end, Keith decided he had to do this. Spent a lot of time gathering everything he needed and arranging what he was about to do. When he was nearly done, Keith found some wire, string and a fake pearl from one of the party necklaces. From it he constructed a necklace. It wasn't much. Worn as a necklace to a politoed and bracelet as a human. Still, Keith poured himself into making it, hoping Kate would like it. He carved a yellow apricot and took some dark blue fabric, making it into a little jewelry box for the necklace.

When it was evening, Keith sat on the boat's edge and nervously fiddled with the box. Could he do this? Damn, he was freaking out! Never had to do this before! Especially for a special girl like Kate. He looked up to see the evening star, Evanderin.

Keith sighed. "Evanderin? I'm a wreck. Can't believe I'm talking to you of all people. And I can't believe I'm going to tell Kate the truth. Why can't I do this right? I have to look her in the eyes and say I love you. That I'll do anything to make you happy and see that gorgeous smile."

"_YOU FREAKING IDIOT!"_

Uh oh. Lady came speeding out of nowhere, launching attacks left and right.

"OW! Lady!" Keith cried out, trying to deflect the attacks.

"_YOU HAVE SOME NERVE, YOU JERK!"_ Lady raged. _"I didn't think you were gay! But even if you were, HOW CAN YOU GO AFTER MY BOYFRIEND?!"_

"OW OW OW! Lady, I'm not gay!" Keith yelped. "I don't love Evanderin. I love Kate!"

Lady stopped. Then went back to her preppy self again._ "YAY! I knew it! You totally love her!"_

"I do. I'll love Kate more than life itself." Keith said. "I'll keep her happy and teach her all my ranger techniques. And maybe I can talk the Union into having her assigned here in Almia! If I can't, then I'll transfer to wherever she is. Just to be with her."

"_Awwwww! How adorable! I have to go tell her!"_ Lady squee'd.

"No wait!" Keith stopped her. "I have to tell her! Alone."

Lady winked. _"Right. Good luck romeo."_

"Thanks. I'm gonna need it." Keith muttered, uneasy.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

It was a little bit later. Keith had gotten everything prepared and memorized his plan. Now all that was left was to put it in action. He got Kate, leading her to the top of the boat. There was a special little area that, to a pokemon, would look like a cute little patio.

"Where are you taking me?" Kate asked.

"Something I wanted to show you." Keith replied. "To…er…I um…you know, it's our last night as politoeds. I-I think we should celebrate."

Kate was guided carefully to the spot. She gasped slightly at the sight. The 'patio' was decorated with strings of beads and touches of glitter. A single candle was lit to give some light and atmosphere. A single red rose rested in a vase next to a makeshift table plus chairs (made out of a small bowl and two flipped over tea cups).

"Oh my gosh…" Kate held a paw to her mouth as her eyes watered up. "No one has ever done anything this nice to me."

"You deserve it." Keith said quietly. "L-let's sit down."

He helped get Kate over to the table and acted as a gentlemen; held out the seat and pushed it in when she sat down. Keith went to get a small metal circle and cover which were made to look like a covered dish at a restaurant. Kate seemed very curious at this. With a swish, Keith opened the top to reveal dinner.

"You cut up berries!" Kate grinned.

"What can I say? Y-you've really inspired me, Kate. Not just for berries but also as a ranger. I feel like I can do more for people and pokemon." Keith told her, a bit red in the face. "You're really something. Cause I've met tons of girls; dozens of them! And…"

Keith noticed Kate was looking at him a little odd.

"I mean I've met a couple! Two or four. Er…doesn't matter! I've just met other women!" Keith stammered, trying to correct the mistake. "Y-you could not be any more different from them! It's like you're one of the guys!"

Now Kate looked shocked he said that.

"Not what I meant at all!" Keith yelped, trying to find the apricot he stashed close to his chair. "You're so not a guy! GAH! Let's try this again!"

Keith stood up with the apricot in hand. He tried to think of something cool and suave to say to the girl. However when he leaned on the table, Keith tripped and the berries crashed on top of him.

"Damn…I'm not myself tonight!" Keith moaned. "KATE! Oops. Sorry! T-that was a bit loud. This is a disaster."

Kate was giggling. "No. It's really cute."

Keith smiled a little. Ok this was it. Time to do it. Keith cleared his throat and started to bring out the apricot. Kate's eyes glanced away for a moment but did a double take.

"There it is!" The blue politoed raced to the edge of the patio's railing, elated.

Darn. Well this could wait a moment. Keith hid the apricot behind him and followed Kate. They sat down together on the edge, looking out at the sight. There was an island and on it, the Pokemon Ranger School. This was what Kate got so hyped up about. Keith sort of understood why she got up to go see it.

"I can't believe it! I'm so close to it!" Kate said.

"Isn't it awesome?" Keith chuckled.

"I bet it's even better up close! Sunlit filled hallways, happy pokemon frolicking around the grounds, books crammed with knowledge and kind teachers guiding you closer to your dreams!" Kate went starry eyed. "I can see it now!"

"You'd look pretty epic in the uniform! Had to admit. Those were comfy." Keith noted.

"Are the classes fun?" Kate asked.

"Most of the time. But between you and me, there was a few times where I dozed off." Keith sweatdropped.

"Idiot." Kate playfully pushed his shoulder. "You're at school to learn!"

"Hey I learned! And now I'm a ranger who got to go on dozens of adventures!" Keith smirked.

"It's going to be so awesome! Finally, our dream is coming true." Kate sighed happily.

"Our?" Keith blinked, confused.

"Me and my dad's." Kate clarified. "He was a ranger; a good one. I wanted to help out others, see happy smiles and make the world a better place. Just like he did. When I told dad I wanted to be a ranger, he was thrilled. Helped me train and taught me all sorts of tricks. The dream for me to become a ranger was a dream shared between us."

_Was_? That word plus the faraway look in Kate's eyes alerted Keith that the girl's father was gone. No doubt he died sometime ago. Must've hurt her so much.

"Well…I think he's watching over you. And he's proud that you're going to school. One step closer to the dream." Keith reassured.

"I'm not so sure." Kate shook her head.

"What do you mean?" Keith asked.

"I have all the money after working all this time. But I didn't get a letter of acceptance." Kate mumbled. "Someone said if I didn't get it by a particular date, then it meant the ranger school never sent one to me. And….that I was rejected."

"Maybe the letter is late? There's a mistake or something?" Keith suggested. "The school sends out letters to all those who want to enroll, saying whether they were accepted or declined. If you didn't get one, then you still have a chance!"

"Seems doubtful." Kate sniffled. "I-I probably got rejected anyways. I was just a coffee girl and I was always told by other kids I'd never be a ranger."

Keith felt saddened seeing this. The girl he loved was close to crying. All that hard work and those dreams were crushed. No one had given the sweetheart a chance. Not like Keith had.

"K-kate? I um…" Keith's paw rested on the apricot, opening the lid. "You see, I…I love…"

A lump formed in his throat. Fear pulsed through his pokemon body. He was trembling terribly, sweating a weird slime.

"I…I love…" Keith gulped. "T-the way you light up when you talk about your dreams."

"Really?" Kate wiped a stray tear.

Keith nodded. "You're so spirited and you're one of a kind. And you know so much about pokemon. The school would be out of their mind to not let you into their classes."

"Thanks Keith…y-you really are my best friend." Kate smiled a little.

"Yeah. A-anytime." Keith muttered, smiling too but with sadness in his eyes.

The apricot was closed. He couldn't go through with it. Too chicken to tell Kate how he really felt about her. But hearing that last part shattered his soul. Best friend…that might be all they were. Just friends. Keith loved Kate immensely but odds were, Kate didn't love him back.

A whistle went off. The captain shouted they were going to arrive in Pueltown in just a few minutes.

Keith got up. "I'll go get the others. Meet you down by the exit."

He took the apricot in his politoed paws and sadly walked away. Kate watched him go. She wanted to say something but he disappeared around the corner. Also, what could she say? What was it that she wanted to tell Keith? The girl sighed, laying back on the floor and staring up at the stars.

"Daddy? Evandarin? Anyone out there?" Kate whispered, tears pouring down her face. "I-I was always sure about my dreams and myself. Before, I knew what exactly what to do. But now I….I…..*sob* What do I do? Please help me…"

At the same time, what she couldn't see, was a kidnapping. Keith had been captured by a couple of shadow pokemon once more. Unable to call out for help or break free, he was spirited away into the night.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

In the dark magic shop, two men's nerves were high with tension and worry. And that stress was growing by the minute. Heath was uptight but not as much as Blake, who paced the floors like crazy.

"What me do?" Heath asked. "Rangers want me up on float! Now!"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm in deeper trouble than you are!" Blake snapped.

WHOOOSH!

Right on time, dark pokemon appeared. A dusknoir had a tight grip on Keith, who squirmed. Blake took Keith and gripped him even tighter. There was an evil grin on the dark man's face.

"We're back in business guys!" He said to the dark pokemon.

"Let me go!" Keith shouted.

"You be still now." Heath growled, raising the dark shard high.

"N-no! Stop! What are you doing?!" Keith questioned, frightened.

The dark shard was quickly jammed into Keith's arm once again.

"It be over for you soon, politoed. For you and you ranger pals."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The boat landed at Pueltown harbor with a whistle blowing in the air. People left dancing and having a merry time as they made their way to the festive parade not too far away. Squirt was jamming with the musicians, going to their own float. He seemed to be having the time of his life. Kate was looking around the docks but couldn't seem to find Keith anywhere.

"Lady? Have you seen Keith anywhere?" Kate asked the ledian, who flew over.

"_Look how cute you're being."_ Lady giggled.

"Wait what? I'm lost here." Kate said, puzzled.

Lady stopped for a moment. _"Nevermind! I guess it didn't happen yet!"_

"What do you mean?" Kate questioned.

"_Hey if he didn't say anything yet, then I'm sure not going to tell you."_ Lady huffed. _"You can't get the info outta me!"_

"Oh really?" Kate smirked, knowing Lady wouldn't be able to resist.

"_Ok I'll talk!"_ Lady took a breath, then started rambling. _"Keith was going to confess his love to you! He wanted to have a special evening with you and give you a necklace he made himself! The guy's so in love with you, he'll make sure you get a Union position when you're a ranger or even transfer to the base you're at!...and I said way too much."_

Kate hugged Lady. "No! You said enough! Thank you!"

The blue politoed looked up at the sky with a smile. Maybe her dad was helping her after all. Or Evanderin showed Kate the way. Anyhow, Kate was over the moon to hear that Keith loved her. Cause she had fallen in love with him as well.

"Come on! We have to find Keith!" Kate started hopping off.

She tore into the crowd that watched the parade. Hard to find a good viewing spot, especially when you're a politoed. As she pushed past many people and pokemon, Kate's heart felt like it was lifted high. That was what all the fumbling around was about earlier! Keith was trying to tell Kate he loved her! He was being a cute goof and tried so hard to win Kate's heart. And if she hadn't been won over before, she was sure won over now.

"_What are we looking for exactly?"_ Lady asked, looking everywhere.

"A float! A really big, grand float!" Kate replied, almost out of breath. "Look for the fanciest, most flashy parade float! There'll be a princess kissing herself a frog!"

Lady helped Kate go to a street sign to look at the floats. There was Rhythmi's float! Rhythmi was wearing a frilly rainbow dress, a glamorous tiara and had on a ton of glitter. She was waving to the crowd and locking arms with Issac, who gave her a gentle, loving expression. Odd. Keith wasn't there. Kate's eyes crossed over to the float behind Rhythmi's. It was the grand ranger float. Professor Hastings and Erma at the very top to greet the crowds with numerous rangers across the float. Near the middle was Keith; human Keith. Kate recognized him from the newspaper picture a few days ago.

However…he wasn't alone. Keith was obviously flirting with one of the visiting Fiore rangers. Kate gasped as she watched Keith show off in front of a blue haired girl and try to charm her. A heart breaking sight.

"_T-this can't be right."_ Lady mumbled, unsure. _"If he's human, then you should be too…"_

The ledian soon found that Kate had disappeared. Couldn't take it, no doubt. Lady flew around the parade and managed to track the blue politoed down to an old cemetery. Kate huddled behind a dark, cold grave; weeping and shivering in the cold air.

"_I know what we saw…"_ Lady tried to speak up, feeling down like Kate. _"B-but we have to have faith! We go back there and you'll get your fairy tale happily ever after!"_

"No I won't." Kate shook her head. "Wishing and fantasies are for the dreamers. L-love…love is just an illusion. And no matter how hard you work, you'll always be worthless."

"_Hey, it's like my Evanderin always said…"_ Lady started to say as she looked up at her star.

"EVANDERIN IS JUST A STUPID STAR, LADY!" Kate yelled. "A big ball of burning fire millions of miles away from the Earth! He can't hear, talk or even love you because he's not even alive!"

Lady looked at Kate, horrified at what was said.

"Open your eyes now. Face reality. B-before you get hurt…" Kate muttered.

The blue politoed sobbed harder as she quickly leapt away. Lady was left hovering in air. She looked up at Evanderin with tears in her own eyes.

"Sh-she's…just speaking out of broken heart. That's all." Lady assured herself in a choked up voice. _"Let's go, Evanderin. We have to show Kate the truth."_

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Heath rubbed his cheek, sore from the slap. So much for having fun with a hot foreign girl. Then again, better to have a rejection slap than her boyfriend storm over to beat the hell out of him. Heath may be a fighter in his original form but not in Keith's. He grabbed a locked case and continued to make his climb up the float. Blake no doubt was watching nearby. It was almost time for Heath to strike at the ranger leaders.

Inside the locked case was Keith. He banged on the box walls as hard as he could and shouted through the tiny keyhole for Heath to stop. Nothing. No one could hear him. And Heath was ignoring the cries. Keith was furious that there wasn't anything he could do to stop this!

"_Keith!"_

Lady flew from the sky to the box, looking through the keyhole.

"Lady! Help me out of here!" Keith pleaded.

"_I can't hear you! I'm getting you out of there!"_ Lady decided.

Heath was getting dangerously close to the top. The ledian wasn't small enough to fit through a keyhole. But she was strong enough to whack the box out of Heath's grip and smash it open with her mach punch. Yes! Keith was free! He jumped up on Heath, tackling him. Heath was sent flying off the stage and to the ground. The crowd gasped.

"Hey! Are you ok, dude?" A ranger called out.

"Yes!" Heath grabbed Keith's neck. "I be right back!"

"Hurry up!" Another ranger shouted. "Can't miss this awesome party!"

"No worry!" Heath said.

Lady followed Heath and Keith to the closed library nearby. Heath burst through the doors, into the quiet dark place. Keith was struggling to free himself but Heath would have none of it. Not too long after, Blake appeared from the shadows.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The man growled. "Get your ass back on out there and finish the job!"

Keith had enough of this. He flicked his tongue out at Heath's forehead. Heath, distracted, let Keith go and the politoed snatched the dark shard necklace. Heath changed right back to his original body, trying to grab Keith and the necklace. Keith wasn't having much luck. With no other choice, he flung the necklace to Lady.

"RUN FOR IT!" Keith shouted before capture.

"_Sure thing!"_ Lady nodded.

Taking the dark shard, Lady quickly flew out of the library and back into the city.

"Heath! Stay here and out of sight! Keep that damn frog out of trouble while you're at it." Blake hissed. "I'll handle this."

The man thrust the doors wide open to see the active parade still going on. Blake gave a high whistle, signaling the dark pokemon to come out. The dark pokemon arrived to see Lady zooming past them and on her way to the graveyard. Lady found herself being chased by these scary creatures.

Squirt had been playing on a float with the musicians, overjoyed his dream came true. But he stopped when Lady rushed by, panicked. Squirt saw dark pokemon pursuing her into the graveyard nearby.

"Hey dude! Why'd you stop?" One of the band members questioned.

Stay and live the dream? Or help out a friend? Squirt knew what he had to do. He tucked the ukulele away in his shell and gave a gigantic roar to the crowd. People screamed and ran off when they found Squirt was a real blastoise. With nothing to stop him, Squirt took off where he last saw Lady go.

"_Kate! KATE HELP!"_

Kate was sulking when she heard Lady cry out. The ledian was out of breath when she caught up to Kate and gave her the necklace.

"_T-this necklace! It proves it!"_ Lady quickly said.

"Proves what?" Kate asked.

"_That what we saw wasn't the truth! The dark magic man has been using it! It's some shadowy charm!"_ Lady exclaimed.

The dark pokemon were quickly closing in.

"_Take the necklace and run! Don't let those pokemon or that bad man have it! No matter what! RUN!"_ Lady told her.

Kate, scared of the dark pokemon that were coming, did as asked. She ran…or er, hopped, away as fast as her politoed legs could take her. Lady stayed behind. Her wings created a gold dust around her, giving the ledian some energy and fueling her courage.

"_You want to battle? Then you're gonna battle me!"_ Lady declared.

Knowing light was their weakness, Lady decided to use her move Swift on them. Lighted stars with extra light from the glittery gold dust was fired away. And it was working! Lady triumphantly laughed as she flew around, disposing of each dark pokemon all too easily.

"Alright you bozos! Who's next?" Lady boldly questioned.

BAM!

Before she knew it, Lady smacked with a hard hit and crashed to a stone grave. Her body was weak from that surprise attack. She couldn't lift herself off the ground. Above her stood Blake Hall. He glared down at her silently. Then, he used his foot to repeatedly stomp and squish the poor little ledian. Once Blake was satisfied, he continued to walk through the graveyard with the dark pokemon following behind him.

"LADY!" Squirt hustled through the graveyard. "LADY! Answer me, will you? LADY!"

He came to where Lady's body rested. The blastoise was breathless as he looked down on her. Total shock took over as he realized what had happened to Lady.

Meanwhile, there was another pokemon in trouble. Kate was doing her best to escape this place and keep the necklace close. But the dark pokemon were catching up to her. Looks like Lady couldn't hold them off for long. Thunder echoed across the sky. Kate tore past the graves and tombstones to avoid being captured.

NO! A dead end! Kate found herself facing a wall with no other place to turn to. The dark pokemon surrounded the area. Blake Hall was arriving to the scene.

"BACK OFF!" Kate held the necklace high. "O-or I'll break it!"

Blake panicked. He took out magic black dust from his pocket and blew it towards Kate's direction. In a puff of smoke, Kate had become human again. And she was wearing a ranger school uniform! Suddenly, the smoke changed the scenery. A cold, creepy graveyard turned into the bright hallways of ranger school! Students were walking around; cheerful and going about their business. Pokemon dashed about. In one hand, Kate held the dark shard necklace. The other hand had a ranger school styler.

Kate was feeling baffled by this. And at the same time…lost. She was suddenly lonely. For a second, she thought she saw Keith! Not him. Just a different red haired guy.

"Have to admit. This is better than spending the rest of your life hoping about a forest."

Blake Hall was leaning against the wall, reading a paper in his hands. He turned it around to let Kate see a report card; a perfect score and positive comments from the teacher. Kate's name was at the very top of it.

"You dream big, kid. And with your skills and determination, I can see yourself graduating top of the class and given a great base to work at." Blake spoke. "Who knows? In time, you could prove yourself worthy of a spot at the Union."

Kate was quiet. She looked around the place, uncertain.

"All you have to do to make this a reality is hand over that necklace." Blake told her.

"N-no…this doesn't feel right…" Kate whispered, scared.

"Don't you remember all those people who doubted you? Those who stood in your way? The ones who didn't think you'd get this far?" Blake questioned.

He walked over to one of the windows, which had a curtain over it.

"And let's not forget your dad."

The curtain was opened to reveal a vision. Kate carefully went over to watch. Spenser! He was coming home, looking extremely tired. Wiped sweat from his forehead and collapsed on the living room couch.

"Your daddy may have loved his job but there were days when missions and quests took every drop of energy he had." Blake said. "But he never let his family know how tired he really was."

In the vision, the front door opened to reveal Kate and her mother coming in. Spenser smiled, catching Kate in his arms as she hugged him. They laughed, played and spent quality time together. While he may have been worn out, Kate's dad still paid special attention to his wife and child. Kate was touched by his dedication. She was happy to see Spenser loved her very much yet felt a sting of guilt.

"All that hard work put into raising you. It's a shame he couldn't finish the job and see you go off to school." Blake went on.

The vision changed to Spenser teaching Kate ranger stuff. Showing her how to capture a pokemon, helping Kate discover pokemon knowledge, tips about life…everything. Spenser had done a wonderful job being a teacher, friend and father to Kate.

"Your daddy gave you everything. It was his dream to see his little girl become a ranger like him. And your dream to be a ranger like your dad." Blake continued, his voice low. "Don't let your dad's hard work and determination vanish into nothing. Make him proud. You're almost there."

Kate watched the vision, tempted to give up the dark shard. She saw her dad truly happy as he cared for Kate and his wife.

"My dad never got to see me become a ranger." Kate grasped the necklace. "But he always gave me his love. And he always accepted me and loved me no matter what! Daddy always will!"

"Easy with that!" Blake cringed, looking at the dark shard.

"Daddy said to follow my dreams and my heart. Now I'll keep that promise!" Kate decided, throwing the dark shard to the ground.

But it never reached the floor. A gengar snatched it up and gave it to Blake, who was snickering. He snapped his fingers, reverting Kate back into her politoed form. A shoe pinned her to the ground.

"You should have taken the deal. Now you'll spend the rest of your life as a slimy frog." Blake

"Yeah? I bet you didn't know I could do this!" Kate said, resolute.

Her tongue lashed out at blinding speed, grabbing the dark shard necklace. Kate retracted her tongue, grabbed the necklace and burst from the shoe grip with a strong jump. With another fast movement, Kate smashed the dark shard onto the ground.

"NO!" Blake shouted. "NOOO! NO IT CANT BE!"

Blake fell to his knees, picking up the shattered pieces of the dark shard. Kate sensed trouble and hid behind some rocks close by. The air was thick with the beating of drums and there were glows of purple flashing about. Shadows and strange symbols flew through the air.

"H-how will I pay back my debt now?!" Blake's moaned.

From the tombs, shadow pokemon appeared. The same ones friends with Darkrai.

"Friends!" Blake stammered.

"_Are you ready, Blake?"_ Giratina and Zoroark questioned.

"N-no! I'm not ready at all!" Blake gulped. "Actually, I have other plans!"

"_We've come for you, Blake. Time to pay back."_ Mismagius and Froslass growled.

"Come on! Friends! T-this is a minor setback to a major operation!" Blake tried to reason, cornered into a circle.

Stepping from behind a shadowy large tomb was Darkrai. He was glaring at Blake with fierce red eyes.

"I still have that politoed ranger locked away! I-I need more time! Only a little!" Blake said, terrified.

Keith was captured? And still pokemon? Now it all made sense! Kate was a bit slow but she understood what the necklace was for and that the real Keith wasn't in the parade! Though now, she was a bit frightened by the strange dark magic that happened before her eyes. Purple lightning bolts stuck down on the tombstones and went crazy.

Darkrai waved its arms. A black pool of pure darkness opened up in front of it. It's energy was super strong, sucking Blake in.

"NO PLEASE! JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME!" Blake cried out, being dragged deeper. "I promise I'll pay you all back! I PROMISE!"

Blake disappeared into the darkness. As soon as he did, the entire place was hit by a very large lightning bolt and howling winds brushed through. Kate was temporarily stunned in place, unable to see what happened. When she could, she saw that it was all gone. Blake, the shadows, everything…it disappeared.

Kate tried to catch her breath. Her eyes saw the clock on top of the city library some ways away. Aw no! Fifteen minutes until midnight! Kate had to go find Keith and Rhythmi! That kiss had to happen now!

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Rangers were taking Heath under arrest. Heath tried to protest but it fell on deaf ears. Keith watched from the stair railing leading up to the library. Felt a little proud of himself that he tipped off Heath and got him the punishment he deserved. The rangers wanted to speak with Keith to get the full story in person (not just over the phone) but the politoed knew he had to get back to normal before doing so. Which meant finding that Parade Princess.

Surprisingly, that didn't take much time. Rhythmi was walking towards the library with a blonde, mushroom haircut guy (Issac, was it?). Keith got onto the railing as they came close.

"Rhythmi! Hey! Over here!" Keith caught their attention. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Keith and I'm…"

"EEP!" Rhythmi shrieked and smacked Keith. "TALKING POLITOED!"

"OWWWW!" Keith groaned, sore. "A-and I'm a pokemon ranger…"

"Wait, what?!" Both Rhythmi and Issac exclaimed.

After Keith made a speedy recovery, he sat down on the steps with Rhythmi and Issac to explain the dilemma. Kate was making her way to the library herself, getting close.

"So let me get this straight. You and my best friend, Kate, have been turned into politoeds by dark magic. And the only way to turn you two back into humans is if I kiss you before midnight. That's it?" Rhythmi sorted through the info.

Keith glanced at the clock, seeing it was two minutes till midnight.

"Yes, yes! That's exactly it!" Keith told her.

"I'm not so sure about this…" Issac muttered.

"Dude, I know seeing your girlfriend kiss another guy is weird. But I love someone else! This kiss means nothing more than getting me and Kate back to human form!" Keith reasoned.

"Out of curiosity here, who is it you love?" Rhythmi asked.

"I…um…that is…er…" Keith sweatdropped.

"Keith!"

Kate came bounding up to the group.

"Kate?" Rhythmi's eyes widened to see her friend in pokemon form.

"K-kate!" Keith lit up, happy to see she was alright.

"Keith! I'm really sorry! I'm such an idiot!" Kate quickly apologized.

"No you aren't. I am." Keith shook his head. "But I'll fix this! I'll kiss Rhythmi and put these dark days behind us!"

"These weren't dark days. Actually, they're some of the best days in my entire life!" Kate said.

"What?" Keith blinked, lost.

"If not for this politoed curse, I'd never have met our pokemon friends, had that amazing journey in the forest or find myself. And I'd never have gotten to know you, Keith." Kate told him. "There's more to you than I first thought. You're funny, brave, sweet and a real go-getter. You encouraged my dreams and helped me when I needed it. It's why I…I fell in love with you."

Keith was frozen in place. His eyes widened and breaths turned into shaky gasps. Did he hear that right…?

"I'm sorry I'm not anything special. I-I probably wasn't even accepted into ranger school. But even if I was, my dream wouldn't be complete with you in it. You're the one I love…." Kate's voice trailed off as she looked away.

A stray tear landed on the ground. Keith came to Kate, slipping his paws into hers.

"I love you too. Slime and all." Keith murmured as they touched forehead.

Rhythmi was sniffling, watching the romance. "I always used to read about true love and fairy tales. Kate? You found it. After all that hard work and being a loyal friend, you deserve this kind of happiness."

Kate and Keith smiled at the blonde girl, wrapped up in their own little embrace.

"Keith, I'll kiss you. I'll give you two a happily ever after." Rhythmi decided.

Issac smiled, not minding this at all. Kate watched with him as Rhythmi picked Keith up into her arms. Their lips puckered up. They leaned forward. It was mere millimeters away before the lips would touch.

DONG! DONG! DONG!

The clock started ringing, striking midnight exactly. Everyone gasped in alarm. Oh no! Time was up!

"That clock might be fast!" Issac suggested.

"He's right! I have to try!" Rhythmi said

Quickly, the blonde girl planted a kiss directly on Keith's lips. There was a pink lipstick stain but nothing happened. Rhythmi panicked. She kissed him all over the face multiple times. More lipstick smudges…nothing else. Keith shrugged.

"I…I'm so sorry…" Rhythmi quietly apologized, setting Keith back down.

Keith wiped off the lipstick. The two politoeds looked at each other with sad smiles. It was over. Their shot at being human was gone. Looks like they'd stay pokemon permanently.

"_Kate! Keith!"_

That was Squirt! Sounded urgent! He was running up the street. Kate promised Rhythmi to catch up with her later before running with Keith to meet the blastoise by a street corner, under a light post.

"_That dark magic man…h-he got Lady."_ Squirt was shaking, looking pale.

He lowered himself to show the politoeds what he carried. It was Lady and she was in bad shape. Her glow was gone. Scrapes and bruises covered her completely. Some of the limp body was twisted into strange positions that no doubt hurt. Her breathing was strained. Poor Lady was doing her best to keep her eyes opened. Impossible to deny it; the ledian was dying.

"_H-how…come you're still politoeds?"_ Lady's voice was barely a whisper.

"We're staying politoeds, Lady." Kate told her.

Keith held Kate's paw tight. "And we're staying together."

"_I…I-I'm happy for you…both."_ Lady looked at the bright star above her. _"Evanderin too. We b-both…wish for your…happiness…"_

Lady took one last breath and looked at Evanderin. Her eyes slowly closed. The coloring on her body became pale and lifeless. Her skin was cool. Lady was gone.

Rain fell from the dark clouds above. It mixed with the tears that poured down the faces of Lady's friends.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

A funeral was held in misty Vien Forest shortly after. No service given or words were spoken. Squirt swam in the water, carrying Kate and Keith on his back. Bug pokemon carried Lady's body, wrapped in leaves and flowers. Many of Lady's closest friends and family came to silently mourn.

They came to the edge of a lake, which was shrouded in a heavy fog. The bug pokemon put Lady's body on the surface of the water ever so softly. Then, they gave her a slight push. Kate quivered, about to cry. Keith took his love in his arms and comforted her. Both watched as bug pokemon pushed the body out into the lake, floating away into the mist.

Suddenly, in the darkest moment, there was a light. A small, warm light that washed over Vien Forest. The politoed pair looked up, gasping at the sight. Squirt wiped away the tears and did the same. All the bug pokemon were amazed to see it too. High in the sky, right next to the star Evanderin, a new star appeared. A little gold star that twinkled brightly. Everyone cheered, knowing that Lady was finally with her love.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

There was some celebration and excitement between the pokemon that went on for hours. Eventually, the bug pokemon parted ways with the trio. Squirt swam them to a lighter part of the woods and decided to stay there for awhile. He deserved some rest after helping out so much. The blastoise napped among the trees. Kate, however, couldn't find herself able to sleep. Neither could Keith. So they'd go for a walk along the trees.

They came to the spot where Squirt showed them the boat; the one that took them to Pueltown the night before. Looking to the east, Kate and Keith sat on the ledge and watched as the sun started to rise.

"So…what now?" Kate quietly asked, cuddling the green politoed.

"What do you mean?" Keith asked back.

"I'm not sure if I can go back to my mom or my old life in this form. And I'm sure the rangers would notice your change too." Kate said.

Keith chuckled slightly. "They probably would notice something was off about me."

"So what do we do from here on out?" Kate sighed.

"Like what we said to Lady." Keith responded. "We're staying together. No matter what. I promise I'll make you happy and protect you from danger."

Kate smiled. She looked up into Keith's dazzling green eyes. Green eyes that had this magical effect on her. They drew her closer to him and made her blush uncontrollably. Keith seemed equally entranced by her own deep blue eyes.

"Though you are a frog pokemon, to me you are much more." Keith murmured. "You're beautiful, Kate. In my eyes, you are a princess that graces the lives of anyone who sees you. Full of life and wonder. I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too." Kate whispered.

Their faces were close. With flushed cheeks and big smiles, they closed their eyes and puckered their lips. With a slight lean forward, the two politoeds kissed. This kiss was perfect. A soft, sweet kiss that lifted their spirits high and was full of pure love.

A slight gold glow flickered on their lips. There was a small sound like bubbles popping or glass breaking. Neither politoed saw that the light grew strong very quickly and soon surrounded them both. Wind entered, creating a golden cyclone around the pair. Lightbeams sparkled and blazed on as the winds started to morph the politoeds inside.

After a moment, the cyclone died down. The glowing ended. In the place of frog pokemon were two humans. One redhaired boy in a ranger uniform and one brunette pigtailed girl in a light blue sundress. The two opened their eyes, surprised. They looked at each other, then at their bodies. Kate and Keith became human again!

"Oh my gosh!" Kate smiled, emotional. "B-but how?"

Keith wondered the same thing too. "Wait. I said that you were my princess! That must have been enough! And when you kissed me, it broke the spell!"

Kate giggled, jubilant. Keith swept his girl off her feet and lifted her into his arms. He was wearing a love-sick grin on his face.

"You know, I didn't see it before. But you are extremely cute." Keith said.

Kate blushed. "I was going to say the same to you."

Keith chuckled. He dove in for another kiss which felt almost as magical as the last.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

_Months later…_

"I now pronounce you all ranger school graduates! Congratulations!"

Kate stood on stage with her classmates as confetti was fired off and an audience cheered. She felt proud after studying in school for so hard. Rhythmi and Issac seemed equally excited, holding hands as they threw their graduation caps in the air. Kate did the same as them with the other graduates joining in.

In no time, graduates and their families went to go meet each other. Kate grasped her diploma and paperwork, looking around. Her mother had sprained her ankle at work so she had to rest at home. But she said she knew someone would be coming out to meet her instead.

"Congrats, princess!"

Kate jumped a little at the voice coming from over her shoulder. She turned and smiled, immediately hugging the source.

"Keith! Y-you came!" Kate exclaimed.

"Of course I did! You think I'd miss my girlfriend graduating ranger school?" Keith grinned, giving her a bouquet of roses. "Shall we go outside where it's less crowded?"

"Let's." Kate agreed as she smelled the flowers.

Taking her hand, Keith guided Kate through the crowds of graduates and families. He managed to get them outside, into the cool air of the school courtyard. It looked so lovely at evening time. And it was a lot more peaceful than sticking around indoors.

"I still can't believe it…I-I graduated!" Kate whispered.

"You did. All that hard work and effort paid off." Keith said. "Only months ago, you worried that you hadn't been accepted."

Turns out, the acceptance letter did come. It was late due to a mail truck accident. During the time Kate was a politoed, that letter came. So when Kate discovered it after turning back to human form, she was thrilled. Keith had been happy too and immediately celebrated with her.

"Glad it's over?" Keith asked.

"Sort of. I mean I'll miss school a little. But some of those projects were tricky. And our long distance relationship was torture." Kate answered.

"Have to agree with you on that one. I was going crazy without you by my side." Keith held her hand. "Now I can hug and kiss you all I want."

"That I like." Kate pecked his nose.

"So sweetheart, I was thinking we could continue our graduation celebration by going out to eat. Wendy and Sven are thinking of tagging along. They've been wanting to meet the girl I've been texting nonstop." Keith offered.

Keith returned back to the Union and shared his story. Not the whole dark magic and politoed thing. But disappearances (including his own), strange events going on and people behind the chaos. The success raised his rank by two and got him a lot of respect. The Union wanted to keep him around in case of future emergencies. But best of all, Keith had learned to make friends. He had some buddies at the Union though his two best friends were top rangers Wendy and Sven. Great people, from what Kate heard over the phone. It was nice to know Keith had company outside of her.

"Of course!" Kate accepted. "I can't wait to spend time with you guys! And I am a bit hungry."

Keith remembered something. "By the way, I think you should open up those documents. See where you've been assigned."

Base assignment? Right. The documents given along with the diploma would tell where Kate would go. She could reside here in Almia. But it was also likely that she'd be in another region; near or far. Kate would be away from Keith.

"I-I'm not so sure. Let's check it later." Kate said, hesitant.

"I think you should check it now." Keith advised. "If you don't open that, I will."

"Alright. You win." Kate gave in, taking out the papers. "Blah blah blah congrats. Information and such. Messages from teachers…aha! Base assignment! It says I'm being positioned at…"

Kate stopped. This couldn't be right. She read that part again. Did it say what she thought it did? It was right there in ink.

"Um…it says here I've been assigned to the Union." Kate informed.

Keith smirked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"You did this! You got me assigned to the Union!" Kate realized.

"Yes it was me!" Keith laughed. "I pulled a few strings at the Union. Managed to convince some people that they could place you there."

"I-I'm assigned to the Union! We get to see each other!" Kate teared up.

"More often than you think, love. You are assigned to be my ranger partner and roommate." Keith told her.

Kate leapt into Keith's arms and hugged him tight. Keith laughed, drawing Kate close to his face. Their foreheads touched. They Eskimo kissed as they stared into the others eyes. Kate had never felt so alive. Here she was; graduating from ranger school and about to become a ranger. And with her was the love of her life. Dreams really can come true.

"Come on, princess." Keith murmured. "Time to start our happily ever after."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**63 word doc pages…one of my longest updates EVER. **

**Chia: And they keep getting longer!**

**Hey, that's good right? Besides, this story was kind of worth it. I just hope I didn't make any errors cause I am NOT going through this thing again.**

**Chia: Me neither *sweatdrop* Next update?**

**I just finished up a super long fanfic! Give me a little time for a break before I charge into something else!**


	17. Secret World of Alex Mack

**Chia: So which of your readers ideas did you try this time?**

**None of them.**

**Chia: What?! None?!**

**I tried but I've been inching my way with the progress. Updated my main pokemon story a lot while my Kid Icarus has been lagging behind. My brain is tired. I needed ideas and something to refresh. Working on crossovers, I ran into an old show I haven't seen in years.**

**Chia: I'll say. That show was released when you were born!**

**It ran for a few seasons and then had reruns until 2003. No DVD releases, no Itunes, barely any footage on the web…it's hard to view it nowadays. Too bad because it's such a great show. Especially considering it's the 90's.**

**Chia: Hopefully your readers will read, review and enjoy!**

**And they'll be satisfied till the next update on my stories!**

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Come on Kate! Wakey, wakey!"

Kate groaned as her shoulder was shaken. She grabbed her pillow and pulled it over her head, burying herself deep in the blankets as she did so. Still, the shoulder shaking did not relent.

"You can't sleep in all day! We've got a huge test in Ms. April's class!" Rhythmi reminded.

"That's exactly why I'm staying in here." Kate grumbled.

"Let me guess. Keith challenged you to a capture contest and you couldn't say no?" Rhythmi assumed.

"You got it." Kate muttered. "Now let me sleep!"

Rhythmi rolled her eyes. She yanked the covers off of Kate, exposing her to the cold air in the room. Kate shivered but still remained as was.

"Fine. I'll go get Keith then. He can dump ice cold water on your head. Or dump you in itching powder. Maybe even…" Rhythmi threatened.

"I'M UP!" Kate bolted out of bed. "I am so up! No need to tell me twice!"

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Meanwhile, in Altru Tower (aka, the secret base of Dim Sun)…

Blake Hall sat at the head of the board room table, waiting as the Sinis Trio entered the room. Ice, Lavana and Heath each took a seat in their own chair. There was silence until the clock struck exactly 8:45. The phone in front of Blake rang. Blake answered the call and put it on speaker.

"Now everyone is here for our meeting. We'll keep it short since we have business to attend to." Blake started to speak. "Kincaid, care to give us the good news?"

Kincaid, the person over the phone, cleared his throat. _"Yes, sir. I was working on our main project when something peculiar. You see, I have created a new chemical unlike anything ever seen. It's a small batch but once I send it to the labs were in Altru, we could make more and find out what sort of uses it can be for. Something like super powering our gigaremos or even powering the Altru Tower itself!"_

"How powerful is this chemical, exactly?" Ice questioned.

"_The full extent of this chemicals properties, abilities and possibilities are yet to be researched. But already I'm getting very high energy readings. This chemical could be the energy of the future! It will launch Almia into a new era led by Dim Sun!" _Kincaid answered.

"Very good, Kincaid." Blake said. "When is the soonest you can transport the chemical?"

"_I'll have it ready for you first thing tomorrow morning. Though I will need someone to pick it up."_ Kincaid requested.

"Done." Blake accepted.

"If you'll excuse me, I must get ready. I do have a cover to maintain for our operation." Kincaid excused himself.

"Indeed. We'll arrange to meet later. Until then, keep up the good work." Blake told him, hanging up the phone. "As for the three of you, you will continue doing your regularly assigned tasks. Ice? An added task for today is to gather a few men you trust to handle pick-up and delivery of that chemical. You'll be in charge of making sure it arrives safely."

"Of course." Ice bowed his head.

"Meeting dismissed."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Back at ranger school…

Kate moaned, barely able to stay awake for breakfast. She was this close to having her head plunged in her cereal bowl.

"Come on! Eat up!" Rhythmi urged. "Gotta have enough energy to take on that test!"

"So…tired…" Kate yawned.

"HA! Sleep is for the weak!"

Sitting down at the table with the girls were two boys. Kate glared at the redheaded one.

"You'll never pass that test if you fall asleep on it." Keith teased.

"Oh like you'll pass." Rhythmi rolled her eyes.

"She's right you know." Issac said. "You didn't study at all. Instead you either slept in the library or challenged Kate to competitions. The probability of you passing is low."

"Well at least I drag my rival down with me." Keith smirked, drinking orange juice.

Kate shot another death glare before stomaching down some of her cereal. In the long run, one bad grade wouldn't matter. Kate's grades were high. Though to be fair, she hadn't been here as long as the other kids. She had to transfer late due to paperwork issues. Kate came to ranger school full of hopes and dreams to be a pokemon ranger. The first day was scary but Rhythmi, a pretty blonde operator-to-be, showed her around and instantly befriended her. Rhythmi introduced her to Issac, the school's genius with 180 IQ and known for his blonde mushroom haircut. Soon enough, spiky red haired Keith showed up. Most times, he was a rival who irked Kate to no extent. But he did have his moments where he'd coach Kate on and make her laugh. In a few weeks, Kate settled into ranger school and was on her way to her dreams alongside her friends with their own dreams.

"By the way, I hope you're not too tired for tonight." Keith said.

"Why?" Kate asked.

"Cause that's when…OWWW!" Keith yelped as Rhythmi kicked him under the table. "HEY WATCH IT RHYTH!"

"What Keith means is he hopes you ARE tired. That way you get some sleep." Rhythmi corrected. "Isn't that right, Keith?"

"Damn it, Rhythmi!" Keith hissed, grabbing his sore knee.

Weird. Kate wanted to question this but the bell rang. That meant breakfast was over and class would begin soon. Ms. April's test wasn't too far away now. Gathering her tray, Kate got up and set it in the cleaning tray cleaning lady Janice set up. After getting her class materials, she waited for her friends and made the trip down to class.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Down in the school's basement, Kincaid was hard at work. The chemical was prepared and all of it was contained in a large oil barrel. There wasn't any room in the lab itself. No choice but to put it in the hallway. Luckily, there were other old rusty oil barrels to disguise it. The entrance would be sealed off during the daytime and all the pokemon were chased out of the basement. This chemical would remain intact and be ready for shipping in less than 24 hours.

With that taken care of, Kincaid freshened up with hand washing and hairspray applying. He assumed his role as teacher before exiting the basement and going back to his classroom.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

That night…

Kate collapsed on her bed. She couldn't find the energy to write a letter to her little sister or even change out of uniform. Today was a rough day. Not only was the test brutal but it was easy to tell she didn't get a very good grade. Probably did worse than Keith. Speaking of Keith, Kate lost every competition against him. Race across the school yard, gym class exercises, capture contests (all 3), speed eating…everything. Kate had fallen in mud, been yelled at Kincaid for running in the halls, given detention by Kincaid for same reason and got her finger bitten by a grouchy bidoof. Could this day get any worse?

"Oh Kaaaate!"

Apparently it can. Rhythmi strolled into the room, grinning. Kate covered her face with her pillow.

"Yikes! You look like a mess!" Rhythmi commented, surprised.

"Gee. Thanks." Kate responded sarcastically.

"Bad day?" Rhythmi asked.

"How'd you guess?" Kate muttered. "I'm sorry Rhythmi but I really want to be left alone."

"Fine. I'll leave you alone AFTER I show you whats in the commons area!" Rhythmi said eagerly.

Kate knew arguing was useless. One way or another, Rhythmi would win. With a sigh, Kate tossed the pillow aside and got out of bed. Rhythmi took Kate's wrist, dragging her out of the girls dorm to the commons. They weren't alone. Keith was there with Issac.

"Geez, Rhyth? What took you so long?" Keith questioned impatiently. "And why does Kate look like a train wreck?"

Kate face-palmed. "Honestly, I think you WANT to be pounded on."

"Ok guys! Ready?" Rhythmi said.

"It's initiation time!" Everyone but Kate whispered. "Keep it down YAY!"

"What?" Kate blinked.

"Its tradition here at school to put ranger students through initiation test. Every student's done it except you. And we had to postpone our date several times due to issues. Tonight's the night we test your bravery and skills!" Rhythmi explained.

"Piece of cake. I've done it in record time!" Keith boasted.

"You were scared of the dark." Issac said as Rhythmi snickered.

"WAS NOT!" Keith objected.

"Anyways, there are four of five stylers hidden in Ms. April's class, Mr. Kincaid's class, the library and the principals office. Once you gather them all, you go to the basement to get the final styler. Bring all five stylers back up and you pass!" Rhythmi told Kate.

"It's dangerous for students to go down there alone at dark so tradition dictates we rock-paper-scissors to decide who your partner is." Issac said.

"And I lost so that means you're stuck with me…" Keith sighed. "But hey, at least I get to see you all freaked out."

"Excuse me?" Kate raised an eyebrow.

"You've got that easily spooked look to you." Keith remarked.

"Oh I'll show you!" Kate grabbed his arm. "Let's go get those stylers!"

"That's the spirit!" Rhythmi cheered.

Both students hurried down the stairs. Kate snickered as Keith tried his best to act macho and tough. How cute. Deep down, the redhead was scared of the dark. Kate made a mental note to use this fact next time he got on her nerves (which may be soon). Alright. It's styler finding time. Now where to start…?

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Kincaid closed the door to his basement laboratory. Perfect! No interruptions! Not that he'd expect there to be. The kids were all asleep in the dorms, faculty settling down for the night and pokemon were kept out of the basement. Night was always perfect to get started on the Dim Sun project.

As he worked on the computer, Kincaid couldn't be any happier. His chemical was protected and waiting to be shipped to Altru tomorrow morning. Though the teacher wanted to study this chemical, he didn't have all the equipment or skills. He knew it was best to leave this to the scientists. Besides, this discovery alone would rocket him to an executive position. Something higher than the Sinis Trio perhaps. It was only a matter of time.

…what was that? Footsteps? From above? Was someone running around?

"Hmpth. Must be the bidoof." Kincaid muttered. "No matter."

Ignoring the footsteps, he applied another round of hairspray and went back to work.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Four stylers! Read em and weap!"

Kate grinned as she showed Keith the fourth styler found in the library. One styler hidden under a desk, another held by a pichu with a panic attack, one more inside a crate and the last in the bookshelves (though you had to destroy boxes to get to it). Not too hard. While the rooms were spooky at night and made you feel like a haunted house, Kate thrived on a challenge like this.

"Alright. Not bad for a rookie." Keith huffed pompously. "But you still have the basement."

"I can handle anything." Kate told him with confidence.

They came to the basement stairs. Kate took three steps down before realizing she was alone. Keith hung out at the top.

"You coming or what?" Kate questioned.

"Me? Go down there?" Keith looked at her like she was crazy. "I don't think so."

"Chicken." Kate smirked.

"AM NOT!" Keith protested.

"Alright. Fine. I'll go alone." Kate shook her head. "But remember this. If I get lost or hurt down there, then YOU will have to live with the thought of me perishing in the darkness! The mere thought of me crying 'Keith! Why didn't you come and help me?!'"

Keith gave her a blank stare. "….I'll take the chance. Later."

Damn. Kate had to go down there on her own. She glanced back at Keith one more time before heading down. It was a long stairway down to the basement. No lights were on in there, making it near impossible to see. There was junk all over the place; sharp metal fence parts, barrels, crates…and more that was unseen. Kate hated the basement. Not only was it dark and crowded with dangerous objects but it was ten times creepier than the rest of the school at night. It gave her goosebumps.

"Ok, where's that styler…?" Kate whispered to herself, feeling her way through the dark halls.

After turning a corner, there was a little bit of light. It came from under a closed door. Aha! Right by the door was the last styler! Kate quietly hustled over to grab it. Challenge completed. Now to get out of this freaky place and back to the dorms. Carefully, Kate went back into the light-less part of the hall and slowly walked her way to the stairs, making sure not to bump into anything hazardous.

"Ghaaaa…."

What the heck was that?

"GHAAAASSSTLYYYYYY!"

A ghastly popped out from nowhere and gave Kate a big, icky lick on her head. Kate shrieked from the sudden scare. As she tried to get away from the mischievous pokemon, she fell backwards. Kate crashed through a clatter of oil barrels and knocked them over. There was one particular barrel that had something inside it. That barrel collided straight into Kate and broke apart, releasing a strange substance all over her. It was a thick golden liquid that smelled funny. Kate coughed as this stuff covered her completely.

"WHAT IS GOING ON DOWN HERE?!"

The door to that other room slammed open. Kate gasped, realizing it was Kincaid. Though sore from the accident, the girl rose to her feet and scrambled through the debris.

"HEY YOU! GET OVER HERE! DON'T YOU DARE RUN!"

Kincaid wasn't able to see Kate in the darkness. Luckily that was enough of a cover. Kate, shook up from this event, ran out of the basement. Keith waited at the top of the stairs and looked shocked to see Kate so scared.

"Kate? W-what happened? Why are you all sweaty?" He asked, puzzled.

The gold chemical that Kate was drenched in was suddenly gone. Now she was just covered in thick sweat.

"Nevermind! Kincaid almost busted me! Run for it!" Kate squeaked.

Didn't need to tell Keith twice. He ran with Kate back up the stairs to the dorms. Issac and Rhythmi were talking at the tables when they spotted the initiation duo.

"Did you…?" Issac was about to ask.

"Yes! Here!" Kate thrust the stylers in his arms. "Hurry and get to bed! Kincaid might come up here!"

The friends panicked slightly. They raced back to their own dorms after turning the common room's lights off. Kate and Rhythmi got into their room, dove under the covers and pretended to be asleep. Sleep was impossible for Kate. Heck, even pretending to sleep was a stretch. What happened down in the basement was really weird. Now Kate's nerves were tingling with anxiety, her skin covered with sweat and her nose kept smelling that chemical.

A door slid open. Kate held her breath as a figure carefully strolled into the room. Though that chemical's scent was strong, Kincaid's hairspray was stronger. The teacher had come to see who dared to invade the basement. Kate prayed he wouldn't find out who it was that knocked his stuff over.

One minute passed. Two. Three.

Kincaid's footsteps left the dorm and the room grew silent as he closed the door again. Kate counted up to fifty to make sure he was gone. Looks like he didn't know who was down there. If he did, Kate would get stuck with a month detention. Maybe two. It was a relief that Kate didn't get punished. After a rough day plus that, she needed sleep.

….after a quick shower.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST THE CHEMICAL?!"

Blake Hall was furious as he got the call very early the next morning. Even the Sinis Trio was on edge as they saw their leader become enraged. Everyone knew the golden rule; never mess with Blake Hall.

"_Late last night, a student broke into the basement for who-knows-what. That damn kid tripped into the barrels and knocked over the chemical. Most of the chemical was gone by the time I turned on the lights and cleaned up. There's not enough to send to you and whatever's left is a destroyed sample."_ Kincaid explained, nervous.

"Can't you make more or something like that?" Lavana asked.

"_It was an accident that I created that stuff in the first place. It'd take me weeks, maybe months, to duplicate those actions to create that chemical. And the few notes I had were left beside the container and was destroyed by the chemical itself."_ Kincaid replied.

"Tell me, Kincaid. You say a student knocked the chemical over and spilled it everywhere?" Blake spoke.

"_Yes sir."_ Kincaid answered.

"Now suppose this chemical got onto the student. What would happen?" Blake questioned.

"_That I don't know. All I'm sure about is that a large quantity absorbed into their system would create some sort of effect."_ Kincaid paused. _"…crud."_

"Are you saying that the student had absorbed most of the chemical into themselves?" Ice asked.

"_Well that might be what happened. It's not for sure but it does seem to be the likely hypothesis…"_ Kincaid's voice trailed off.

"Did you see the student? Perhaps we can capture them and take them here to Altru for study? We could very well make them a pawn if they prove to be useful." Blake said.

"The basement was pitch black. I couldn't see who it was at all. Couldn't even tell if it was a boy or girl." Kincaid told him.

"I'm making it your responsibility to find out who that student was and bring them to me. And you better not screw up again, Kincaid." Blake growled, hanging up the phone. "Sinis Trio! Back to work!"

Not wanting to upset their boss further, the three members ran from the room and obediently did their work.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Kate woke up bright and early the next morning. Despite being scared about what happened last night, now Kate was feeling a little better. Her skin tingled but that might be because the AC was set on high. Kate was quiet, letting the other students sleep as she tip-toed to the bathroom for a quick wash-up. Once she was clean again, dressed and put her hair into pigtails, Kate snuck out to the commons room. Breakfast wasn't ready for awhile yet. Since she was alone, Kate could do a little studying in the library.

FWEEEEEEEE!

The shrill noise made the girl jump. From the kitchen came the tea kettle. It had been turned on and was boiling. But how? Janice always made tea when she woke up but that wouldn't be up for some time yet. No one else was awake but Kate. Confused, Kate stopped the tea kettle and set it off to the side.

BEEP! WHIRRRRR!

Wait, what? Now the microwave was on? Did it turn on all by itself? That was odd. Kate noted she may have to talk to Janice about replacing the electric appliances. Might be dangerous to have that stuff malfunction like this. Kate decided to unplug the microwave and leave a note for Janice. Now where's the sticky notes…?

BEEP! WHIRRRRR!

Kate froze, slowly facing the appliance again. Why was the microwave running on its own? It was unplugged! Right? Kate anxiously took a step towards it to make sure. Holy miltank! The microwave was running on its own power! Kate gulped, trying to press the 'power off' button on the machine.

KAZAM!

Tiny lightning bolts flew from Kate's fingertips and straight at the microwave. The appliance buzzed before sparks flew and the whole thing broke down. Kate coughed, waving away the smoke that coughed out of it.

Shinnnneeee!

A bright yellowish glow lit up close to the student. Kate's eyes were caught and she tried to find the source. The source which happened to be Kate's hands! They were flickering with a golden glow! Her heart pounding, Kate stared at her reflection in the busted microwave door.

Kate fell backwards as she gave a short, frightened shriek. Her entire body was glowing that same color! She ran from the kitchen and back into the commons, taking deep breaths. The gold color started fading away and her normal skin color was back. At that moment, Issac stepped out of the room.

"Kate? Didn't think you'd be up this early." He said.

"Issac! There's a huge problem!" Kate told him, terrified. "L-last night! You know, at initiation, something happened in the basement! I crashed into this barrel filled with this strange gold stuff. It covered me head to…t-to toe! And it absorbed into my skin, making me all sweaty! I ran back up here, showered and went to bed, thinking it was the end but it wasn't!"

Issac patiently listened to the jumbled ramble and studied her face. He was quiet for a moment.

"Doesn't sound like it's something you'd make up. Plus, I've heard worse excuses coming from Keith." Issac responded.

"I-I think I turned on the electric oven. And destroyed the microwave…" Kate quietly admitted.

"You what?" Issac stared at her. "Ok that's it. We've got to run some tests. I need to study this."

Kate showed him to the kitchen. Issac wasn't able to make much note on the electric oven but he did see the microwave. No mishaps with the wiring, no broken parts, nothing clogging the systems…as if it really was struck by lightning. After, Issac grabbed some stuff from the first aid kit and escorted Kate to the library, where they wouldn't be disturbed. Issac ran some diagnostics on his friend.

"Your heart rate and blood pressure are normal. Breathing seems to be alright. How do you feel?" The genius asked.

"My skin's all tingly. More on my arms than anywhere else, though." Kate said. "Do you think it means anything?"

"Could be anything, could be nothing." Issac shrugged. "I'd run a blood test if I could. That chemical could've seeped into your brain cells, attacking you right this second. And your blood may break apart at any moment causing you a slow, death."

As Issac spoke, Kate grew nervous again. A strangled cry came from the back of her throat. And that gold glow flickered on her skin again.

"Hmmm. Gold glow when you're anxious?" Issac wrote that down in his notebook. "Documented."

"Morning guys! No idea you two were up and…WHOA!" Keith entered the library and froze upon seeing Kate. "What the hell happened to you?!"

"Remember that initiation last night?" Issac questioned.

Keith nodded, awkwardly walking towards them.

"There had been a slight accident in the basement." Issac said.

"Slight? SHE'S FREAKING GLOWING!" Keith exclaimed, making Kate even more scared.

"Everyone stay calm! Any more tension will make Kate glow longer and possibly brighter!" Issac warned.

Kate tried her best to settle down. Not easy when you're glowing or when weird things are involving you. Taking deep breaths, Kate slowly calmed herself back down. The glowing ceased after a little bit.

"I'm sorry guys…" Kate murmured.

"It's not your fault." Issac assured. "None of us knew Mr. Kincaid had a hazardous chemical in the basement nor did we think you'd trip over it."

"Wait a sec. MR. KINCAID is behind this?! That hairspray headed jerk who lectures about safety?" Keith questioned. "I can't believe he'd bring in a chemical so dangerous! I mean, think of the children!"

"We're teenagers." Issac corrected.

"Yeah, yeah. Same thing." Keith muttered, snacking on a candy bar he stowed away in his pocket.

"I'm assuming Mr. Kincaid will be upset about the mess. And a chemical with properties like that must be illegal. He finds out you were covered in it, he may get you in trouble. We better stay quiet about this. At least until ranger school is over." Issac advised.

"What about Rhythmi?" Kate asked.

"That gossipy blabbermouth?" Keith remarked.

"I'll think it over." Issac replied.

Kate laid back in her chair, feeling a lot of emotions brew within her. Fear, curiosity, uncertainty and…hungry? She was feeling a little bit hungry. All the stress and worry could easily wear you down.

"What the…?!"

The candy bar Keith had suddenly jumped out of his hands! It floated in mid-air! And it was floating right towards Kate!

"Kate? Are you doing this?" Issac cautiously asked.

"I-I don't know!" Kate hesitantly grabbed the chocolate from the air. "I was just thinking I was hungry and then…that happened."

Kate tried to return the chocolate to Keith but he let her keep it. The girl chomped away at it, relieved she had something in her stomach. Issac was writing down notes with Keith reading over his shoulder. Kate sighed, trying to chill out. It wasn't even 8 am and her day was hectic. Hey, why did her skin get tingly again? The tingling was getting stronger, giving her chills. Kate could've sworn the room was getting bigger too.

"Where'd Kate go?" Keith asked, glancing in the direction where Kate once was.

Issac looked away from his notebook and was perplexed to see Kate wasn't on her chair. Instead, it was just her clothes and pigtail holders. Near the clothes was a puddle of thick silver liquid that appeared to be moving.

"I think that might be her." Issac awkwardly answered.

"Oh boy…" Keith gulped, shocked.

"_Guys! What's happening to me?!"_ Kate wailed.

"Keep calm! Everything else was temporary so I'm sure this is too." Issac reassured.

Footsteps sounded outside the library. They were heading towards the library! Kate, in her liquid form, scurried away and hit behind one of the short bookshelves. Luckily, it was just Janice.

"Morning boys! I'm surprised to see you here, Keith. Awake in the library for once!" Janice chuckled.

"Keith needed extra studying. He's falling behind again." Issac lied.

Janice raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You think you can tutor Keith?"

"He's got 180 IQ. Why not?" Keith reasoned, playing along.

"Well Issac, don't strain yourself trying." Janice said. "I came down to tell you breakfast will be a little late. The microwave malfunctioned. Weird. It's almost as if it was electrified."

Keith shot Issac a look.

"Quite strange indeed." Issac agreed.

"I best leave you two to study. I'll see you both at breakfast!" Janice cheerfully said, leaving the library and shutting the door.

Kate's liquid body was tingling again. She could feel herself growing taller, solidifying. Yes! Back to normal! And oops…she was naked. Right in front of two guy friends. Kate wrapped her arms around her chest and hid behind the bookshelf. Keith and Issac noticed Kate was normal again but immediately turned around, flustered.

"Guys?" Kate squeaked, shivering in the cold air. "C-could I have my clothes back please?"

Keith scooped up the clothes and handed them to her, not looking in her direction. Kate quickly changed back into her school uniform and tied her hair into pigtails. Everyone was relieved that Kate wasn't a liquid or naked anymore.

"Should we at least say something to Ms. April or Principal Lamont? Maybe they can help get me back to normal." Kate suggested.

"Might not be a good idea." Issac said. "That chemical is probably illegal and powerful. If word gets out, who knows what will happen to you?"

"Right. Kincaid might run painful tests, make you suffer through experiments or even sever your brain to study it." Keith told her.

"Or you'd be taken away from ranger school and never have your opportunity to follow your dreams. You'll probably end up in a hospital or a research facility that will never let you leave." Issac warned.

"Good point." Kate collapsed in her chair again, head hanging low. "Guys? What am I going to do?"

"There might be evidence in the basement where Kate crashed into the chemical. It might not be too dark down there right now." Issac hypothesized. "Keith? Can you go check it out?"

"Are you crazy? No wa-…." Keith stopped, seeing Kate's sad face. "…ok. I'll go take a look."

"Thanks Keith. You're a great friend." Kate smiled.

Keith's turned the exact same shade of pink back when Kate was…er…un-clothed. The redhead quickly left the library and was rushing through the hallways. He was about to go down the basement stairs…

"Keith? What are you doing up? And much earlier than usual?"

Mr. Kincaid! He was coming up the stairs. Keith tried not to choke on the overpowering aroma of the coffee the teacher was drinking and the excess hairspray.

"Good morning, Mr. Kincaid!" Keith greeted, faking cheerfulness. "I was looking for…er…Principal Lamont! Have you seen him?"

"I assume he's getting ready." Kincaid answered.

"Great! I'll go wait for him!" Keith tried to leave.

"Hold it!" Kincaid stopped him. "Were you in the basement last night?"

"I can honestly say I've never been in your basement." Keith told him.

Technically true. He cheated during his initiation by rounding up a bidoof and making the little critter get that styler. Keith rewarded the bidoof with yummy treats every day for a week. What? He hated the dark. And that basement was freaky.

"You're a troublesome student, Keith. I hope you're telling the truth." Kincaid glared at him.

"I swear!" Keith said.

Kincaid looked him over. "I suppose you might be…clean. Do you know if any students broke the dorm room curfew and snuck down here?"

"Nope!" Keith lied.

"If you do know, talk to me right away. I have to punish the rapscallion who trashed the basement, broke the rules and no doubt ran in the halls." Mr. Kincaid told him, going up the second floor stairs. "Oh and one more thing? There will be an announcement at breakfast. So don't be late."

Keith pretended to go in the direction of the principals office. When he was sure Kincaid was gone, he tried to go back down the stairs. Shoot! A barrier! One that a target clear couldn't break. Keith bolted right back for the library.

"Problem!" Keith said, bursting through the doors. "Mr. Kincaid is ticked! He blocked off the basement and he's ticked!"

"Really?" Kate responded.

The redhead nodded. "He's looking for you and ready to punish you. Plus there's something about an announcement at breakfast but I don't think that's good."

"I'm guessing those two things are related." Issac assumed.

"Should I hide?" Kate asked.

"No. If you avoid breakfast, it'll cause suspicion. We'll listen to what Mr. Kincaid has to say and go from there." Issac recommended.

"Breakfast is in a few so let's go. Besides, I'm getting hungry." Keith said.

With all three in agreement, the friends got up and left the library. Making their way to the common rooms for breakfast, they couldn't help but wonder how things were going to play out.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Issac, Kate AND Keith are all awake so early? Wow that's a surprise!"

They got breakfast and met Rhythmi at their usual table. Unfortunately, porridge was the day's main breakfast dish. Kate settled for an apple. She didn't want foods that reminded her of being a liquid. Keith and Issac seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Ok Issac being up early is normal." Rhythmi said, nibbling her porridge. "But Kate? AND KEITH?"

"I couldn't sleep." Kate told her.

"And Issac was helping me study." Keith added.

"…REALLY." Rhythmi stared at her with a doubtful look.

"Aw come on! I'm not that bad!" Keith moaned.

"Have you seen your grades?" Rhythmi questioned.

"You need the extra tutoring." Issac commented.

"Not helping!" Keith snapped.

Kate giggled. Even in hard times, her friends always made her smile. She wouldn't trade them for anything. But the smile faded as Kate noticed Kincaid was walking to the center of the commons room.

Kincaid cleared his throat before shouting. "Attention students! I need everyone to listen up!"

Students were wise to listen when Kincaid needed them too. Everyone stopped eating and looked his way. Kincaid waited till it was completely quiet.

"Now then, last night someone broke into the basement of the school and caused a scene. Not only did they make a horrid mess of the supplies and run through halls but they stole something very important. That something was valuable and is now damaged beyond repair." Kincaid spoke. "The rules were clear that you should not run or be in the basement. That person put themselves in a lot of danger. And they'll be serving severe consequences for what happened."

Kate gulped. Keith put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, helping her to calm down. It'd be bad if the glowing acted up now.

"That is why I'm going through an extensive meeting process with each and every one of you. I will be questioning you thoroughly to determine who it was that broke into the basement." Kincaid went on.

"Can you do that? I mean, is that allowed?" A student asked.

"I can, actually. Principal Lamont is out of town for a meeting. Ms. April is down with a bad cold. And with gym class not until this afternoon, I have the entire morning to take you all aside for questioning." Kincaid answered. "No one is allowed to leave the building. Anyone who does so will get automatic detention and is assumed to be the culprit. I shall draw names at random until everyone has gone. Rhythmi is first for the questioning."

"Ok?" Rhythmi blinked, lost. "Wish me luck, I guess."

Rhythmi put her food tray away before following Kincaid down the stairs. That gave the three friends the chance to talk about this. It was obvious to talk in hushed tones so no one would know they had something to do with this.

"What do you think he'll do?" Kate whispered.

"Probably a round of questions but something seemed suspicious." Issac noted.

"I noticed it too." Keith agreed.

"I don't want to get nervous and botch up the questions! Even if I lie right, my behavior might tick him off. That or the glowing." Kate said.

"As long as you stay calm, you'll do fine. Kincaid won't suspect a thing. Plus it's just questions." Keith assured.

"Right. Once Rhythmi gets back, we can ask her what happened in there. She can let us know what happened." Issac told them. "I doubt it's anything more than some simple questions and judging of character. You know how Mr. Kincaid is."

"Yeah. Always says 'don't cast judgment without evidence' but he's a hypocrite about it anyways." Keith mumbled.

It was about 7-8 minutes before Rhythmi appeared again. The next student summoned wasn't any of the group, luckily.

"Rhythmi, how'd it go?" Issac asked.

"Kincaid's really weird. Not only does he ask a lot of strange questions but he's using a lie detector." Rhythmi replied.

Kate nearly choked on her orange juice. "L-lie detector?"

"Yeah. The 'Super something-sciency Model 6000'. Guaranteed to spot any lies with absolute precision." Rhythmi said. "I hadn't lied because I wasn't even in the basement."

At that point, Kate was glad Rhythmi hadn't realized the basement part of the initiation test might've had something to do with the accident. Rhythmi was smart but every now and again, the details flew right past her. Though she was a great friend, Kate had enough to worry about at the moment. Rhythmi didn't need to be involved in this mess when Keith and Issac were in danger of knowing.

"Oh shoot, I almost forgot! I left my cell phone in the classroom!" Rhythmi face-palmed. "I'll go get it quick!"

Rhythmi scampered off down the stairs again. Another opportunity moment for the group to discuss.

"Now what?" Keith questioned.

"Rhythmi might be referring to the new model of lie detectors; Super Polygraphic Detection Model 6000. I read in the papers that this new model can detect any lie whatsoever using electric pulses." Issac told them. "This will be problematic for us. If Kate lies, the machine will pick it up instantly. Mr. Kincaid will know at once Kate absorbed the chemical and he'll take action."

"Great. I'm busted." Kate slammed her head on the table, depressed.

"Hey it's not over yet! We'll find a way to beat that jerk of a teacher!" Keith prepped. "I'm not losing my best friend!"

Issac pondered the situation. "I wonder…maybe Kate's new abilities can help us."

"Huh?" Kate and Keith stared at him.

"The detector not only picks up electric pulses but it runs on pure electricity. It's a machine. Kate, if you concentrate your energy hard enough, you could shoot a lightning bolt into the lie detector. Instead of destroying it, however, you'll just malfunction it. You can lie all you want and no one is the wiser." Issac explained. "Once the test is done, shoot another lightning bolt and the machine will work normally again."

"Problem!" Kate said. "I can't just shoot lightning from my finger tips and expect Kincaid not to notice."

"You can shoot lightning? That. is. so. COOL!" Keith was in awe.

"What about those levitation powers? Cause a slight distraction." Issac suggested.

"That could work." Kate mulled it over. "But I'm not sure if I can use my powers on purpose. All that stuff happened on accident."

"Just focus. And don't be scared." Issac reminded.

"We're your friends. We'll be with you in spirit." Keith comforted her.

"Kate! You're next!"

Kincaid was back and he already picked out Kate. No time to practice those powers or do anything. Now was the time. And there was only one chance to get this right. With a deep breath, Kate went over to Kincaid and followed him down the stairs. There was silence. Heavy, pressuring silence that could crush you in an instant. Kate had to swallow her fear and pretend to be cool about all this. She knew the plan. And as long as she was calm and collected, the plan would work. Keith and Issac supported her.

"Step inside." Kincaid ordered coldly as he opened the classroom door.

Kate did as asked. There was a desk set up in the front of the room where someone was obviously meant to sit. The desk was seated close to the teachers desk where a small metal box with lights, buttons and switches were. Wires were connected from the box to little dots meant to attach to someone's body. Kate sat in the desk and had to attach the wire spots to both her wrists and a spot on her neck. Kincaid flipped the switch on, making the machine run.

"Alright. Question time." Kincaid said.

Time to do this. Kate's eyes found the bookshelf next to the door. There was Mr. Kincaid's favorite coffee mug that said 'No Hall Running'. That would be good for the distraction. Like in the library, Kate wanted to move that mug. She tried to will her powers to push the coffee cup over the edge of the bookshelf.

"Last night at around 10, where…" Kincaid started to ask.

Success! The mug was tipped over the edge and fell to the floor! Kincaid turned around at the sound of his favorite cup smashing to pieces. He ran right over to pick up the shards. Kate smiled, proud she could control at least one of her powers! Now to see if she could control another one. Her pointer finger aimed right at the lie detector box. A little bit of focus…aha! Lightning shot out! It made the box whirr and lights flickered different colors. Kincaid grumbled curse words before leaving the mess as it was. Hopefully, the lightning did as it was supposed to.

"As I was saying." Kincaid spoke again. "Last night around 10, where were you?"

"Asleep in the dorms." Kate lied.

Silence. No beeping or anything to indicate Kate was lying. It took more focus not to grin than to use powers at this point. Kincaid nodded, frowning.

"I see…." Kincaid muttered. "Do you know anything about the basement? What's stored down there? It's purpose?"

"I don't know much. It's for storing tools and old stuff, right?" Kate asked.

Again, no beeping. The lie detector was silent.

"Is there any suspicious student you'd like to point out? Any strange activity going on? Anything that's out of the ordinary?" Kincaid questioned.

"Other than Keith waking up extra early for schoolwork, I can't say I've seen anything out of the normal." Kate answered.

Kincaid sighed. "Alright then. I suppose you're innocent. Take off the wires and I'll escort you back to the commons so we can get our next person down here."

Kate took off the wires. She knew Kincaid had his hands full trying to clean up the coffee mug mess and picking a new student out of a name jar. Just in case though, Kate managed to unscrew the little bolts on the bookshelf. The whole shelf itself fell apart, knocking down books and papers onto the teacher. He swore very loudly that time, making Kate snicker. Kincaid totally earned that one. She quickly zapped the lie detector before the cranky teacher recovered.

"Ok enough!" Kincaid snapped. "Let's just get back upstairs!"

With a casual shoulder shrug, Kate followed Kincaid back up to the commons area. Another kid was taken to the commons. Rhythmi was talking to Janice while Keith and Issac waited at the table. Kate couldn't help smiling as she sat by them again.

"You did it!" Keith grinned.

"I did! I used my powers!" Kate gushed.

"Way to go!" Keith messed up her hair playfully.

"Great work." Issac praised. "We avoided trouble against Kincaid."

"Well for now." Kate pointed out.

"True. He won't stop investigating till he finds you." Issac said.

"Well I won't give up either." Keith boldly told the guys. "I'll master these powers. Who knows? They may come in handy on the ranger job."

"I'll study your abilities so you can reach your full potential." Issac offered.

"And I'll be your coach! I can support you and make sure you go the extra mile!" Keith added.

"You guys are the best." Kate hugged Keith while high-fiving Issac. "I guess I won't be your average ranger."

ZZZZZT!

Kate's lightning accidentally shot up into the ceiling, making the lights in the commons area explode. Everyone cried out as the lights across the school shut down and created a power outage.

"Nope." Keith chuckled. "But you will be an extraordinary one."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**If I could, I'd totally crossover pokemon and the comic strip, Dilbert. Love that strip.**

**Chia: What about Pearls Before Swine?**

**That's practically EVERY chapter I have. Some wackiness with a strange plot that takes a bit to comprehend. **

**Chia: Next chapter is coming! No idea when!**

**Sometime in the near future.**


	18. A Little Problem

**Chia: Sky's been sick. Again. When she was confined to the couch and went to the doctors office, she managed to get in some writing and did an original one-shot. And I typed it up!**

**….. *skeptic readers stare at pachirisu***

**Chia: Ok fine, she typed it up whenever she had a moment to sneak online. But she does hope you read, review and enjoy this one shot! Based after some of the fan art Sky found on deviantart (a semi-common theme, actually). **

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

As many stories started out, it was a peaceful day. Almia had fine weather with people and pokemon in pleasant moods. Everything was normal….depending on your definition. To a total outsider, things were never normal for the rangers. Something crazy was always happening. Very rarely was there quiet.

"ISSAC! HIDE ME!"

Issac looked up from the machine computer to see a panicked Keith bursting in. He slammed the door, raced over to Issac and hid behind him. The blond mushroom genius sighed, shaking his head.

"You've been heckling Kate again, haven't you?" Issac assumed.

"My favorite pastime." The redhead grinned.

"A _dangerous_ pastime." Issac noted, typing on the computer.

"Hey I've learned to stop when that girl brings out a weapon!" Keith defended.

"I suppose you have gotten smarter since ranger school." Issac chuckled.

"Great. Now you sound like Rhythmi." Keith rolled his eyes. "Speaking of which, I would avoid her for the next hour or so. She's the one who gave Kate the bat."

"Although I am a scientist and my rationale is to comprehend a situation, I think it would be in my best interest not to question this strange occurrence." Issac stated.

"What?" Keith blinked, confused.

"I won't ask." Issac translated.

At that moment the cowboy top ranger, Sven, entered the lab. He walked over to the other guys.

"Hey Issac? Did you fix the aqualung?" Sven asked.

"Two of the parts are completely ruined and it'd be dangerous to merely replace them. I'll get to work on building you a new aqualung when I can." Issac replied. "In the meantime, Professor Hastings left me with some research to do while he visited Oblivia."

The two rangers looked at the machine. Part of it was a typical supercomputer with buttons flashing and wires all around. Something you'd see in a normal laboratory. This computer was connected to a tall, glass cylinder that held something inside. There was a floating green orb surrounded by a lime green glow. Emerald green sparks danced off of it in a fantastic display. What was odd was that the thing almost seemed to be alive; studying them.

"Whoa! What is that?" Keith gasped. "And how come I didn't notice it when I came in here?"

"Probably because you were more concerned of Kate with a bat." Issac answered.

"Speaking of which, she's still looking for ya." Sven reminded.

"As for what that is, I'm not entirely sure. Neither is Professor Hastings. See, there were glitches in the computer plus some miscalculations during our experiment with a pikachus energy levels. Several examples of electric pokemon's lightning attacks fused with the electricity of the lab and a small sample of a rare chemical. This orb was the result." Issac explained. "Professor Hastings wants to study its properties and find uses for the creation. However, he is needed in Oblivia right now. So the research was passed down to me."

"Cool." Keith tapped the glass.

"KEITH DON'T DO THAT!" Issac suddenly shouted, anxious.

"What? I'm not doing any harm." Keith said.

Not so. The ball of energy seemed to flicker its glows between normal and brighter intensity. It was almost as if the sphere was angry at this action.

"So you think Kate's not ticked off anymore?" Keith asked. "Cause I am ready to heckle again."

"Dude, you really aren't that smart are you?" Sven snickered.

"Hey you tease Wendy all the time!" Keith argued.

"…fair enough." Sven shrugged. "I'll go with you. Maybe Wendy's with her."

"Don't you think you should give the girls a break? Stop giving them a hard time for at least one day?" Issac sighed.

"Come on. They're our partners. They know we're just kidding and they're cool with it." Sven assured.

"Yeah. And it's not like I've been crazy in love. Unlike a certain scientist I know…" Keith said, implying something.

Issac cringed as his face was a light red. "W-WHAT?! N-no! I-I'm not….it's not what…I…"

"Come on, you've crushed on Rhyth since school. Aren't you even going to ask her out or something?" Keith questioned.

"Doesn't she have a record of bad dates and being dumped?" Sven asked.

"Issac might break that. Who knows?" Keith shrugged.

"Well no thank you…" Issac mumbled, turning away. "I won't be asking Rhythmi out on a date any time soon, if at all."

"Speaking of dates, I gotta prepare for mine tonight." Sven remembered.

"Another? That's the fourth one this week! Way to go!" Keith high-fived him.

BAM!

The guys looked to the glass case. There was a crack on there now. The sphere had slammed itself into the glass wall to create that small little crack, as though trying to escape. But instead of trying to break the glass, it seemed almost content with that crack. The glow surrounding it was getting stronger.

"Was that supposed to happen?" Keith asked.

"I don't think so." Issac replied, confused. "I'll run some more diagnostics on the sphere and see whats going on."

The blonde started typing in the computer again. Though it wasn't long before something started to happen. The glow on the sphere was very intense. Before anyone could react, the sphere suddenly created an electric ring around itself and shot it out in a wave. A wave that shattered the glass instantly and swept through the lab. All three boys cried out as they were swept up in the electric wave.

Their bodies were electrocuted inside out. Keith cried out as he felt searing pain burn throughout him. His body was jerking into uncontrollable spasms. He was dizzy, thinking the room was spinning like a merry-go-round. It was too much for his body to bear. Keith blacked out.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Nnng….aw man, what happened…?"

Keith moaned as he slowly gained consciousness a few minutes later. His body was numb in some areas while others were sore. There was a dizzy feeling still but it wasn't as bad as before. Mostly what bothered Keith was the headache.

Issac and Sven had apparently been knocked out as well. They were starting to come around, sitting up and rubbing their heads. Keith went over to them but suddenly felt that something was off.

"What the hell was that?" Sven muttered.

"Something went wrong with the experiment. But none of us are hurt, it appears." Issac said. "Although there is something different about the room."

He was right. Keith looked to see the room was the same but at the same time, different. There was that table in the center of the room. Only the room was extremely large now. And that table seemed almost as tall as a mountain! The computers were practically Mt. Silver with their height. Glass shards from the machine were scattered, with some pieces as big as the guys themselves.

"How come the room's so big?" Keith asked.

Issac was stunned, horrified. "Keith, the room didn't get bigger. We got smaller!"

"SAY WHAT?!" Keith and Sven exclaimed.

It seemed impossible but it was hard to deny the truth. They shrunk!

"This must've been the orb's doing." Issac said, looking at where the orb used to be. "I don't exactly know what happened but the power was too much for the machine to handle. It's electromagnetic wave impacted us and cut down our size to three inches tall."

"Please tell me you can fix this." Keith gulped.

"Maybe?" Issac seemed unsure. "I'm sure if we could shrink, then we could reverse the process and grow back to normal height. But I'd need access to my computer and research materials."

"Well the stuff is right over…" Keith pointed but then stopped. "…there. Shit."

The computer was near yet at the same time, far. Not exactly easy to reach a computer when you're small. Or anything else for that matter.

"This will certainly be a challenge." Issac sweatdropped.

"That's ok. I thrive on challenges." Sven smirked.

"So do I." Keith cracked his knuckles. "Let's go climb up there!"

"We should try to climb up the table first. From there we can make our way to the computer." Issac suggested.

The other two agreed to that plan. Better to climb the table. While machine had a smooth surface, the table had small dents and dings normally unseeable. To someone a few inches tall, it'd look like a type of rocking climbing wall. Keith went first, using these little dents to stable himself. Issac was next with Sven following, should the non-athletic researcher slip up. After some time, Keith was scaling the table leg with moderate success. When coming to the edge of the tabletop, the redhead was careful to grab the corner and pull himself up. Issac slipped but was caught by Keith and assisted by Sven. All three stuck together, helping each other up. It took several minutes to get up to the table but it was done. Now how to get to the computer…?

Then, the door to the lab opened. The guys froze, unsure what to do. They waited to see who it was that came through the door.

"Issac? Are you there?"

Rhythmi came in with Kate and Wendy behind them.

"No one's here." Wendy noticed.

"Apparantly." Kate sighed, crossing her arms. "Geez, why does Issac keep the lab so cold?"

"It's the girls!" Sven said.

"Maybe they can help us out!" Keith suggested.

"We will need some assistance until we're back to our regular size again." Issac agreed. "RHYTHMI! Rhythmi, over here!"

"KATE!"

"WENDY!"

The boys were calling out as loud as they could. And it seemed to be working. The girls looked around, trying to tell where the noise came from. Wendy was the first to look at the table and gasp, finding all three guys there.

"Oh…my…arceus…" Wendy gasped. "SVEN?!"

Kate glanced over. "KEITH?!"

"ISSAC!" Rhythmi exclaimed.

The girls raced over to the table to see their friends had shrunk. Wow were they shocked. And huge! They looked like they were giants! The guys could easily fit in the palm of their partners hands if they wanted to.

"W-what happened to you?!" Rhythmi asked, worried.

"There was a lab accident several minutes ago. Our size has been reduced to three inches." Issac explained.

"That would explain the breaking glass sound I heard earlier." Wendy noted.

"And the two minute power outage." Kate added.

"Listen, there's no way we can navigate the Union or find a way to get back to normal without your support. I'll need some assistance working the computer and machines to find the reversal to our 'little problem'. Meanwhile, Keith and Sven need extra help trying to stay alive. As tough as rangers are, it'd be tricky to avoid being stepped on or eaten by a wild pokemon." Issac requested.

"Of course we'll help you!" Rhythmi accepted.

"Yeah! You guys are our best friends!" Kate said.

"We'll help however we can." Wendy nodded.

"Thank you." Issac sighed, relieved. "Rhythmi, might I ask for you to stay with me in the lab? I suggest that Keith and Sven should be taken back to their own rooms for now. There's not much danger there. And I think it's best if we keep quiet about our circumstances. We don't want to draw attention or cause any alarm to the rest of the Union."

"Got it." The girls agreed.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

After discussing things more, everyone split up into groups. Rhythmi went to work right away with Issac on the machine. Sven and Wendy went off towards their bedroom. Meanwhile Keith stuck with Kate as they went to their own room as well. Kate had put Keith in her ranger jacket pocket to make sure Keith was safe and unseen.

Riding in a pocket was a little bit bumpy but overall, not bad. Could be a lot worse. Keith poked his head out to see the passing sights. A few people who worked at the Union; now bigger. Same with pokemon. Keith almost wondered if his ranger styler would work on a pokemon if that ranger and his styler were littler.

Getting to the room was no problem. Kate took Keith out and carefully placed him on top of the nightstand. He appreciated how gentle Kate was with picking him up. It was still uncomfortable and a little humiliating but at least it didn't hurt. Plus the night stand was a good choice. If Keith wanted to, he could jump back and forth between the sturdy nightstand or his comfy bed.

"So how's it feel to be short?" Kate asked with a sly grin.

"I'm not short!" Keith objected. "The proportions are way off! I'm tiny! Big difference!"

"Buddy, you're the one always making short jokes about me. It's pay back time." Kate said, poking him.

"HA." Keith scoffed. "Don't get used to this. I'll be taller than you again."

"But until then, shrimpy, I'll be enjoying it." Kate giggled. "Hopefully none of the jokes are too hurtful. Don't want you to see a _shrink_."

Keith rolled his eyes and leaned against the tissue box. Ok, fair enough. Maybe he teased Kate a little more often than he really should. But he had a good reason why he did it! Whatever. Keith shook his head of any weird thoughts.

"So I guess we're laying low tonight and chilling here in the room?" He guessed. "I'd say that I'd kick your butt at video games but I think my hands weren't too small for the buttons."

Kate stared at him weird. "Wait, did I not tell you about it?"

"Tell me what?" Keith asked, confused.

"I already had plans for tonight." Kate told him. "I'm going out on a date."

It felt like something inside Keith shattered. A cold chill filled the air, making him shiver. Those words echoed within his redhaired head. He had to hold onto the tissue box side to stop himself from falling over in shock. Did he hear that right?

"Y-you have a date…?" Keith managed to ask.

"Yep! Tonight at 6!" Kate responded.

"Um…er…" Keith struggled on what to say. "W-who's the guy?"

"His name's Tamer. Sort of has this 'tall, dark and handsome' vibe to him. A few days ago, I helped him out with a quest. We chatted for a bit before you were done with your quest and I met up with you. I've ran into him two more times after that. He said I was kind of pretty and then asked me out on a date. So I said yes." Kate explained.

"W-why? I mean you hardly know him." Keith pointed out.

"Yeah but I will get to know him on our date." Kate reasoned.

"Sure but again, why? Why the date?" Keith questioned.

"Ummm…" Kate hesitated, awkward. "I….er…"

Keith waited patiently for an answer. He watched Kate's face turn pink as she glanced at him before turning away. Her eyes started to get a little dark, as if something bothered her.

"It's the first time anyone's asked me out. I've never had a date or any guy like me as anything more than a friend." Kate mumbled nervously. "I thought no one would ever want to go on a date with me. No way I can pass this up this one-time offer."

"I'm sure other guys will ask you out." Keith assured.

"I can't take that chance." Kate shook her head. "I'm not a girl who'd attract many guy's attention. It's not likely a guy would ask me out again. I should at least give this date a try."

Keith was silent. He couldn't believe Kate was actually going to do this. His ranger partner and best friend was going on a date. Didn't think it was possible. Kate was a tomboy who used bats to combat Keith's heckling, played video games, hung out with guys (or other tomboy girls) most of the time and was…well…Kate. She was adventurous, courageous and took risks during important quests & missions. Never had it crossed Keith's mind that Kate would ever go on a date.

Kate glanced at the alarm clock. "Oh it's already 4:30! Better start getting ready."

The redhead didn't respond. He barely acknowledged Kate heading towards the bathroom and taking a shower. Keith, still in a shocked state, slid down to a sitting position and stared at the floor. There was a heavy feeling in the air that crushed his usually upbeat spirit. It made him feel worse than when he shrank.

Keith desperately wished Kate wasn't going out with whoever this guy was. And it was for the same reason he teased her constantly.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Let's try this again…"

"S-sure…"

"Just connect the blah blah science blah blah blah tech talk blah blah…"

"STOP! PLEASE STOP!"

Issac paused mid-explanation as Rhythmi cried out, freaking out slightly. This wasn't the first time the operator was having trouble. It's been awhile since they got started trying to get the machine fixed, working and finding the solution to the problem. However, the progress made was as little as Issac was. With Issac not able to type or do much work, he had to rely on Rhythmi. Rhythmi may be a great operator but she was horrible with science.

"Issac, I can't do this!" The blonde girl turned away from the machine.

"No! You almost got it that time!" Issac quickly reassured. "Just relax and…"

"I MEAN IT! I CAN'T DO THIS!" Rhythmi snapped, her voice wobbly. "Sorry Issac but I…I…"

The mushroom genius was about to say something but paused. Rhythmi's mouth quivered, her eyes were watery and her breaths were shaky. It was clear that she was about to cry. Issac felt his heart ache to see Rhythmi this way. He tried to think of some way he could present the operator from crying but nothing came to mind. It was a rare time where a genius with an insanely high IQ didn't know what to do; he felt helpless.

Rhythmi suddenly burst into tears, bolting from the computer and right out of the lab. Issac couldn't stop her. All he could do was watch her go. He felt horrible to see his closest friend and crush cry like this.

Yes, it was true. Issac, the brilliant scientist, had a huge crush on Rhythmi, operator wonder. Actually it seemed like it was more than a crush. Issac felt strange emotions swirling inside him whenever Rhythmi was close by. He admired even the odd little quirks she had. And whenever Rhythmi was sad, Issac was sure to be there for her. Like right now.

Rhythmi was clearly upset and it was worse than usual. Issac knew that she would run straight to her room, lock the doors and be all by herself, crying. He had to go after her and give comfort. Issac started to walk but nearly fell right off the edge of the table! Yikes! One slip and he'd crash to the ground! That'd be a broken bone….at least.

If Issac wanted to follow Rhythmi, he'd have to climb down the table, make his way across the lab, go to the dorm halls and find her room. However, this wasn't going to be an easy task. Not when you're three inches tall. And with pokemon all over the place, rangers with big feet and other untold hazards, the trek could be extremely dangerous.

"But if it's for Rhythmi, I'll do it." Issac said, determined.

With that, the scientist cautiously climbed down the table legs and started the journey.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

When you're only a few inches tall, you learn to be careful. After almost being killed, the cowboy ranger learned this fact very quickly. Sven had been picked up by Wendy and placed on her bed.

"Mental note, never place you near an open window." The green haired ranger sighed, closing the window.

"And you should be a little gentler picking me up." Sven rubbed his sore shoulders. "It wasn't your fault, by the way. You didn't know that a bird pokemon would try to get me. Thank heavens for screens."

"I'll say. I don't think I could explain to people that my partner was eaten by a spearow." Wendy sweatdropped.

Sven chuckled. It was a little embarrassing to be this small and having to rely on Wendy for a lot of things. Aside from the attack earlier, it wasn't too bad. This whole event could've turned out a lot worse. As much as he wanted to return to normal, Sven would be patient. He was already noticing a lot more about his surroundings.

One of those things just so happened to be his ranger partner. Sven was closely observing her. He could see some details previously known. Like the mark on the left side of her face, close to the ear. Or the way Wendy walked with such confidence. Then there were things Sven had always noticed but now was even easier to see. Kind of like seeing HD tv for the first time. Sven watched how Wendy's lips curved into a smile. And speaking of curves, she did not have a bad figure. Heck, far from it.

"Oh right!" Wendy remembered something. "You had that date tonight!"

"Right. Forgot all about it." Sven recalled. "I guess that won't be happening now."

"You don't sound disappointed." Wendy noticed.

Sven shrugged. "Eh. I don't mind. I'm feeling worn out anyways."

"I'll grab us some pizza from the cafeteria, get out the laptop and bring up a movie. We'll take it easy tonight." Wendy said.

"Thanks Wen." Sven grinned. "You know, you haven't made any jokes or fired out sarcasm yet."

"You had a rough day. I'm not going to make you feel bad." Wendy told him. "I'll be right back!"

The girl gracefully left the room, closing the door behind her. Sven laid back into the pillow, sinking into its softness. This wouldn't be a bad night at all. So what if Sven missed a date? He honestly didn't care. Being with Wendy was way better. There may be tons of hot girls out in Almia willing to date Sven at any time he wanted. But there was only one girl Sven wanted to spend time with.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Keith had sulked for awhile. Didn't say a word or move from his spot as Kate hurried to get ready. It hurt him to see his best friend going out on a date with some mystery guy. A guy who probably wouldn't respect Kate or treat her right. He would never know Kate like Keith did. And if Kate wasn't careful, she might be dating some creep who might do insane stuff.

No. Kate wasn't going to go on this date alone. She may get hurt…or worse. Keith had to at least see who the hell this stranger and find out if he even deserves Kate's attention. For her sake, Keith would be with his ranger partner on her date.

"Hey Keith? This look ok to you?"

The redhead looked up and his eyes widened. Kate was wearing a short dress that was light blue with white dots. The end of the dress had little ruffles to it. Her hair flowed down to her shoulders, dangling slightly over the straps. A blue headband tucked it back a little. There were matching blue pumps and a blue purse.

"Y-you look…" Amazing. Stunning. Like a princess. "n-nice!"

"Thank you!" Kate turned pink at the compliment. "I hope it's not too simple."

"Not at all. Looks great to me." Keith commented, trying to hide his reddened face.

"You don't mind staying here alone? Cause I can take you to Wendy and Sven if you want company." Kate offered.

"Nah. Don't worry about me." Keith said. "Have fun."

"Thanks!" Kate smiled.

Kate went to close the curtains to the bedroom window. Now was the time to get moving. Keith quickly ran over to her purse on the bed. There was a small pocket that women used to store mascara, lipstick or stuff like that. But it was empty and it was a perfect hiding place for Keith. He jumped into the pocket and zippered the top half closed, giving him room to poke his head out. Kate grabbed her purse and sashayed from the room, closing the door behind her. Little did she know that her date was going to be secretly crashed.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"So far, so good."

Issac managed to get out of the lab without any trouble. Rhythmi had left the door open but it was a sliding door so nothing to fret. The easy part was dealt with. Issac had carefully traveled along the edge of the wall to prevent being seen and to stay safe. A walk from the lab to the dorm halls entrance took longer than usual. Part of the journey was done. Now just to walk down the hallway and get to Rhythmi's room.

"Grrrrrr…"

From several feet away, there came a low growl. Issac felt a chill run down his spine. He slowly turned around. There was a poochyena, crouching in attack stance. Not good. Issac gulped, terrified. This poochyena was a pokemon partner to a ranger but it wouldn't let up on the shrunken researcher. Poochyenas were known for their persistent nature and attack methods. They'd always get their prey. And this time, Issac was it.

Poochyena leapt and Issac started to run. The pokemon was chasing him down at high speed. Issac was going as fast as he could but it was hard. Poochyena was catching up! This was really bad! Come on! Gotta reach the door! Rhythmi's room wasn't that far now! Just three more doors on the right before Issac would reach it. He'd have to push himself a little harder to get there…

SLAM!

Issac was pressed into the floor by a paw that hit him on the back. He was pinned down by the poochyena.

"NO!" Issac cried out.

He was close! So close! It couldn't end this way! He couldn't die! Issac had to restore his friends back to normal size! He needed to be with Rhythmi!

Poochyena leaned close with his nose just above Issac's head. The wolf-like pokemon growled, baring its teeth. Wait, if poochyenas were attacked, they'd run away instantly. So if Issac attacked the poochyena, he'd be free! And he got an idea how to do so.

Issac turned around and grabbed hold on one of the bottom fangs. He may not be a strong, athletic ranger but the guy gave it everything he had to pull the fang out. It took some strength but success! Issac managed to rip the fang right out from the poochyenas mouth. Blood splattered onto the floor and Issac's lab coat. Poochyena yipped, letting go of Issac and fleeing.

"Whew…" Issac sighed, wiping his forehead. "Way too close."

He was exhausted, out of breath and stained with blood. His leg had been sprained too. But Issac was alive. He survived a pokemon attack. Not bad for a scientist. With Rhythmi's room almost in reach, Issac limped and continued onwards.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Hey did you hear something?"

Sven paused, trying to listen. He and Wendy were silent as they tried to pick up the noise again.

"It's probably that poochyena again." Sven said. "Always picking on the other pokemon."

"Yeah." Wendy agreed. "So I have the pizza and drink set up for ya. I'll search for the movie. Any preferences?"

"Nah. I'll let you pick." Sven responded.

Wendy pulled open her laptop and scrolled through movie options. Sven had been sitting on the nightstand with dinner. With his size, Wendy had to help with the proportions. The tip of the pizza had been cut off to make a decent slice for a smaller person. Not as easy to find a cup. Wendy improvised by cleaning out the toothpaste cap. It actually worked well and there wasn't any lingering mint taste to it. Sven was able to enjoy dinner without any trouble at all.

The movie chosen was 'Pokemon Heroes'. Sven put aside his water and finished off the pizza. He hopped back to the bed and situated himself on the pillow. Wendy's head rested on the other side of the pillow and her computer sat on her lap. Screen was adjusted for viewing. It was sort of like a home theater, in Sven's view. Super cool.

"You seem happy." Wendy said after some time.

"Why not? I'm relaxed and hanging with my partner." Sven responded.

"I thought you'd be concerned that you're one of the smallest rangers on the force. That you may or may not be back to normal again." Wendy remarked.

"Our mushroom haired friend's got this. He's helped the Union get out of tight spots before." Sven told her. "And it's not too bad to be this way. True, I hate it and want to be my tall self again. But in retrospect, things could be worse."

"Good point." Wendy said. "What about that date of yours? Can't exactly show up when you're a couple inches tall though I did expect you to be frustrated about it."

"In all honesty here, I didn't care about that date. I don't care about any of the dates I go on." Sven admitted.

"Wait, you don't?" Wendy shot him a surprised look. "I'm lost here. I thought you, the ladies man, went on all these dates with hot girls to have a fun time."

"Nah. They're practice dates. When I'm ready to go after the girl I'm _really_ after, I'll have tons of experience and I know what to do. And I'll make sure she wants to stick around for a long-term relationship." Sven explained.

"Huh. I guess that makes some sense. Didn't expect you to be some kind of hopeless romantic." Wendy responded. "So do you actually have a girl you're after or have you not found her yet?"

"Oh I've found her. I've known her for several years now." Sven answered.

"What's she like?" Wendy asked, curious.

"Gotta admit; she's a real beauty. Not the fake beauty you'd see in many girls these days or someone who'd cover themselves in makeup. I mean she's a woman with genuine good looks." Sven told her. "And the personality is something no other woman has. She has a sarcastic sense of humor that makes me smile. This is a girl whose opinions and ideas really make you think. She's got a fiery spirit that soars high in the sky. But when her friends are going through a rough time, she'll settle down and help out as best as she can. There's determination in those piercing eyes of hers; always ready for a challenge. Never before has a woman inspired me like her."

"Wow. You sound like you're really into her." Wendy said.

"I am." Sven yawned.

"Who's this mystery girl? Do I know her?" Wendy questioned.

Sven smirked. "How about this; once I'm my normal size again, I'll tell you who she is. Deal?"

"Deal." Wendy replied.

Though he tried to get rid of the smirk, Sven found it impossible. It was almost cute how clueless his partner was sometimes.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The night air was chillier than expected. Keith was doing alright in his pouch but he had hoped Kate wouldn't freeze to death in that dress of hers. Just goes to show ya; never trust the weatherman. Keith poked his head out of the purse and watched the scenery go by. It was intimidating to see freakishly tall buildings and giant people walking about with larger sized pokemon. Made the redhead feel even smaller than before.

After walking through Pueltown, Kate managed to find a restaurant. It wasn't a mega fancy but not one of those cheap fast food places. Of course it had to be some Italian place. Kind of overdone.

"Kate?"

There was a guy walking over. He looked a year or two older and was extremely tall. Probably half an inch taller than Sven. His black hair was gelled and combed back. He wore a black and white suit that made his face standout well. When Kate said he was tall, dark and handsome, she meant it. Keith frowned, instantly disliking him.

"Hi Tamer." Kate greeted.

"My, my, you look marvelous." Tamer complimented, looking her over with his dark eyes. "Definitely a step up from your ranger uniform. Shall we head inside?"

"Of course!" Kate chipperly answered.

Tamer grabbed her hand and led Kate into the restaurant. Much to Keith's annoyance, the guy didn't let go even when they were inside. Their hands were locked until they were escorted to their table. They sat down at the table and were given menus by the waiter.

"Aren't you going to take your purse off?" Tamer asked.

"I've heard there's been a lot of purse snatching lately. I just want to be careful." Kate told him.

"Relax, you're safe here. I'll watch out for thieves." Tamer assured.

"It's alright! I'm a ranger and I'm capable." Kate cheerfully said.

There was a flash of exasperation on Tamer's face for a split second. As if he was mad he wasn't trusted or thought he wasn't competent. Kate didn't see it but Keith did. And he was already watching to see how this date would turn out. If this guy dared to wrong Kate, then he'd get two black eyes the moment Keith was his normal size again.

The two gave their orders to the waiter and then started to talk. Kate was shy at first so it was Tamer who was talking the most. What a blowhard! He was talking about himself so much! Bragging about he won award for pokemon contests or made it to the finals in pokeblock cook-offs. The guy was even talking about how handsome and awesome he was. How could Kate just sit there and patiently listen to this? And she actually listened with some interest. Seriously? Did she not hear how arrogant this guy was? All she did was nod her head, grin and occasionally sneak in a 'cool' or 'I see'.

"Enough about me…" Tamer said after half an hour of constant yammering.

"FINALLY." Keith muttered.

"I must say. You look ravishing in that dress, Kate." Tamer complimented suavely. "Like a fair maiden."

"I don't know about that!" Kate sheepishly responded. "But it's nice to hear you say that. Thank you."

The food came to their table. Keith was taunted by the aroma of lasagna at first but his resolve to keep an eye on Kate came first & foremost. He was making sure nothing weird was going on.

"Ow!" Kate yelped.

"Something wrong?" Tamer asked nonchalantly.

"I'm sorry Tamer but you're kicking me. You've sort of been kicking me for a few minutes now. Could you please stop?" Kate requested.

"Am I kicking you? My apologies." Tamer said with a devious smirk.

"Um Tamer? You're still kicking me." Kate spoke up.

Wait a darn second. Keith knew that Tamer wasn't kicking her on accident. This was on purpose. And when a guy did it on purpose, that meant one thing. He was playing footsie under the table! That sneak! Keith clenched his fist, glaring at the raven haired jerk. He couldn't believe this guy was pulling something like that on a first date!

The date was quiet for a little bit. Kate and Tamer were both eating with some occasional chatter on the side. Keith noticed that Tamer was sneaking in a lot of glances when Kate wasn't paying attention. Normally, this was understandable. But the way Tamer looked at her made Keith's blood boil with anger. Tamer had a mischievous expression as he stole looks at Kate's dress. As if he was thinking of something very wrong. Keith wanted to pummel this guy so badly!

"So Kate, dear, I was thinking…" Tamer slid his hand onto Kate's.

"Yes?" Kate asked.

"You're a little far from the Union, tonight. Kind of a long walk back. And it's only getting chillier." Tamer said in a slick tone. "I feel a young woman such as yourself shouldn't dare try to go back there on a night like this."

"Are you escorting me back?" Kate assumed.

Tamer chuckled, amused. "No I have a better idea. How about we rent a hotel room and lodge there for the night?"

SAY WHAT?! Keith was enraged beyond words. He couldn't believe this creep actually suggested that! How dare he treat a lady like that?! Heck, how dare he treat Kate like that?! Keith silently prayed Kate wasn't too naïve to see what was going on.

"Er…" Kate was startled by the offer. "Thank you but I can handle walking back to the Union. Rangers do have curfew."

"Are you sure?" Tamer questioned.

"Positive." Kate nodded.

"I see…" Tamer muttered, continuing to eat his meal.

Way to go Kate! Keith grinned, feeling proud. Thank goodness she was smart and refused her date's proposal. She was safe. Although the atmosphere was awkward now. Keith could detect it and he had a feeling Tamer did too. Kate noticed it, trying to start up conversation again. She discussed ranger'ing, pokemon, hobbies and miscellaneous topics. Tamer managed to mumble a 'sure' or 'mhm' every now and again. He seemed slightly ticked off as Kate tried to be polite.

"Excuse me, I have to use the bathroom." Kate said, getting up.

Tamer nodded and went back to eating. Kate started walking, carrying the purse and Keith with her. Wait, BATHROOM?! Aw no! This was embarrassing! Keith ducked his head back into the pouch to avoid seeing anything. It was so weird to be in the girls room! For some odd minutes, Keith had to put up with the uncomfortable situation. He waited impatiently for Kate to be done and exit the bathroom before poking his head out again.

They came to the table but….Tamer wasn't there. Kate looked a little anxious as she looked around the restaurant. She found a waiter and tugged on his sleeve, getting his attention.

"Excuse me? Have you seen a guy with gelled dark hair, a black & white suit and…" Kate tried to ask.

"The gentleman you were with? He already left." The waiter informed.

Keith's jaw dropped. He LEFT?! Did the guy seriously ditch?!

"He requested that the bill is to be brought to the table and that you would pay for it." The waiter told her. "I was on my way to go get it right now."

Kate was in a state of shock. She collapsed into a chair at the table, looking pale. The news was hitting her rather hard. Keith felt sorry for her. Kate was a sweet girl and she didn't deserve this at all.

The waiter came back with the bill. "You know, he's in front of the restaurant and I think you can catch up to him."

"Thank you." Kate responded.

She quickly paid the bill, clutched onto the purse and hurried through the restaurant. Bursting out the doors, it was easy to see the waiter had been right. Tamer was still hanging out in front of the restaurant. This time, he was with another girl. One a bit older than Kate with long blonde hair, a tiny black dress and a huge chest. She looked like a super model. Kate wasn't happy to see the woman in the arms of her date.

"Tamer…?" She nervously spoke up.

Tamer turned his attention to her. "Ah Kate. Didn't think you'd be back so quickly. I assume you paid the bill."

"Yeah. But why?" Kate asked. "Why'd you abandon me like that? And who's this girl?"

"This is Lucia. And we're going to have a little fun together. Consider her your replacement." Tamer answered.

"What…?" Kate whispered, shocked all over again.

"The only reason I dated you in the first place cause I was bored and needed some 'action'. Since there were no lovely girls in sight, I settled for you. I had a feeling you were never asked out on dates so I took pity on you." Tamer explained. "But you wouldn't do what I wanted. So I left and found ran into Lucia. I get a free dinner from a lame ranger girl while meeting up with a hot lady who'll give me the after-dinner entertainment, if you know what I mean."

"Wait, so y-you don't think I'm pretty?" Kate squeaked.

"Not unless you mean pretty ugly." Tamer spat.

Lucia snickered. Kate's eyes were wide as her heart sank, anchored by hurt. It devastated Keith to be watching this.

"Kate, you were never pretty to me. You have a hideous face with no brains behind it." Tamer scoffed. "No guy in the world wants a girl as pathetic as you."

"Loser!" Lucia stuck out her tongue.

"Come, Lucia." Tamer locked arms with the blonde. "Let's leave."

Keith watched the couple stroll away. His jaws clenched tight as rage bubbled within. He wanted nothing more than to strangle that jerk for what he did. That was completely inappropriate and wrong! A real man would never do something as low as that! It was…

SPLASH!

"Ack!" Keith yelped slightly.

A drop of water crashed down on top of him. It wasn't much water. Enough to shake off. Still, why did it feel a little different than normal water? Keith looked up.

Kate was still standing in the middle of street; dazed and devastated. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. Keith's anger disappeared, replaced with remorse. She looked traumatized by the rejection. Her head hung low as she walked over to the park across the road. No one was there, since it was night. Pokemon had gone to sleep. Kate silently walked through the trees and sat down on the edge of a water fountain. Setting the purse aside, she hid her face behind her hands and started sobbing.

Keith felt his heart break just listening to her. Tears just kept coming. Poor girl. Keith couldn't take it anymore. He wouldn't let Kate cry or feel all alone. The redhead climbed out of the purse pocket and slowly walked over to Kate's side.

"Kate? A-are you ok?" Keith asked, though he knew the answer.

Kate stopped crying for a moment. She stared down at Keith, puzzled.

"Keith? What are you doing here?" Kate wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "I left you back in the room."

"I snuck into your purse before you left. Wanted to make sure the guy you went out with wasn't dangerous or you didn't get hurt." Keith told her.

"Well…you were right." Kate muttered.

"I know. I saw everything." Keith sighed. "And I'm really sorry for what happened. That guy doesn't deserve a girl like you."

"No guy does. I-I'm ugly and stupid! I knew that before but I…I…" Kate started crying again.

"Kate, don't cry. Please don't cry." Keith held on her hand with his two tiny ones. "You're not ugly or stupid."

"Yes I am!" Kate cried.

"No you are not! That guy was only saying those things because he didn't get what he wanted and tried to hurt you. Even if you were, I still think you're a very beautiful girl with unique abilities and a sweet nature." Keith softly admitted.

Kate stopped. A couple of tears spilled out but her eyes were looking down and focused on Keith. Blue eyes with inquisitiveness and wonder. Seeing those eyes made Keith's knees feel like jelly and his face tomato berry red.

"You really think I'm beautiful?" Kate asked, her voice quiet and shy.

"Yeah…I always have." Keith replied, uneasily. "First time I saw you, I actually thought you were an angel or something."

Kate blushed. "B-but you're always teasing me!"

"Because I like you. A lot." Keith confessed, turning away ashamed. "A-and…I think it might be more. Maybe even love…"

The redhead was mortally embarrassed. If you were three inches tall, wouldn't it be hard to tell someone your own feelings? Keith was swallowing every nerve he and hoped Kate wouldn't think this was pathetic.

"I love you too."

Keith's head whirled back around to face Kate. She was wiping her moist eyes and smiling. Her index finger stroked Keith's cheek.

"I liked you since we first met but I didn't think you liked me back. You were always teasing me or being so competitive. I gave up hope you'd feel the same way about me even though I was falling for you hard. You were all I thought about while I was with Tamer. " Kate told him.

Keith felt his heart beat like a drum, pounding with such vigor. A smile automatically came onto his face. He was over the moon happy. Kate liked him. More than that even, she LOVED him! Love! It was a dream come true!

"Er, listen. How about we save this first date of yours? I'll be your date." Keith offered.

"You'd do that for me?" Kate asked, touched.

"It'd be an honor." Keith sheepishly answered. "Right now, I'm not exactly tall. And I don't think I'm all that dark. But I've been told I'm handsome. And maybe that's enough?"

Kate giggled. "You're small but you've got a big heart. That's more than enough. Of course I'll go out with you."

Her hand stretched out into an open palm, allowing Keith to jump on. He was placed on her shoulder. Keith sat and held on as Kate got up. After grabbing her purse, they started walking.

"Anywhere you want to go?" Kate asked.

"I was thinking of a walk along the Pueltown piers. We look at the night sky and the calm ocean waves as we talk about this n' that." Keith suggested, then grinned. "Then maybe at the height of the moment, I'll sneak a kiss onto your cheek."

Kate giggled. Keith melted seeing his ranger partner happy again. You know, being small wasn't all bad. It was cool to sit on Kate's shoulder. And even better to have a perfect view of her shining eyes.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

At long last, Issac made it. He reached Rhythmi's door. The genius had to lean against the door and take in deep breaths. No stopping since starting this trek. It was brutal; the long walk, the poochyena and not to mention the injuries. But Issac's resolve was undeterred. He crawled through the space under the door and entered Rhythmi's room.

Rhythmi was still crying. She was laying down with her face in her pillow, bawling. Issac hated to think about how sad his best friend must be. He had to help her, no matter what. Grabbing onto the blankets, Issac climbed up onto the bed beside her.

"Rhythmi?" He spoke up.

The blonde operator looked up. She was upset but surprised to see Issac.

"I-Issac? Wh-what are you doing here?" Rhythmi stammered. "Did you come here alone? And…oh my gosh you're hurt!"

Issac looked over his blood stained clothes and sprained foot. "A little. I'll be back to full health soon enough. More importantly, I came to see you."

"You came to see _me_?" Rhythmi blinked. "Did you walk all the way here by yourself? Just to see me?"

The scientist nodded. "It's easy to tell you're distressed. But it's not just about the science I tried to make you learn, is it?"

Rhythmi shifted to a sitting position. There was some silence as her face darkened. Issac waited for the answer to come.

"It's about those dates I've been on. Especially the recent one." Rhythmi finally said.

Issac knew about those. He secretly hated how men would be charmed by Rhythmi's grace and beauty. They'd ask her out and sometimes she'd say yes. Issac watched his best friend get ready for these many dates, crushed and wishing he was in those men's shoes. Part of him wished the date would end badly. And they always did. Rhythmi had horrible luck trying to hold onto a guy for longer than one date.

"I find a lot of guys who are attractive and have amazing talents. And I went out on dates because I thought maybe there was potential for a long-term relationship." Rhythmi explained, her eyes holding a faraway look. "They liked me because I was good-looking. That was the _only_ reason. If I didn't act airheaded or preppy, they wouldn't accept me. I tried putting on this…this façade of being super optimistic and naïve. In the end, it always failed. The guys always dump me. And I always end up alone."

So that was it. Issac finally learned what was going on. Rhythmi had never opened up to anyone why her dates were bad. Not even her best friend Kate knew about it. Issac stroked Rhythmi's hand, comforting her.

"It's a shame those men don't bother to see or accept the true you. You know, it's quite wonderful actually." Issac said.

"What?" Rhythmi responded, baffled.

"You're a remarkable woman with intelligence that exceeds normal standards. I watch you guide our rangers to the right path with such skill & precision only the best operators have. Rhythmi, you have an optimistic personality that helps ease tense situations. You're there for your friends whenever they need you." Issac told her. "And despite how strong you appear to be, there are times where you're fragile. Though the world may be dark, remember that there are people who care about you and want to help; including me. Any man who can't see your true inner beauty is not worth your time."

Rhythmi was quiet for a moment. She was reflecting over Issac's words, moved by them. The operator took Issac into her hands and held him up. Issac sat in them, looking up at her.

"Thanks Issac." Rhythmi whispered. "You're always there for me."

Issac smiled. "Always will be."

The girl returned the smile. She then bent over and lightly kissed the right side of Issac's small face. Issac's face crept up to a deep scarlet shade with eyes wide. His hand felt where the kiss had been. He could feel his heart beating a thousand miles a minute and emotions flowing through him. What a rush!

"I'm ready to try again with the science stuff." Rhythmi said, taking a deep breath. "Back to the lab?"

"Er…I….um…y-yeah!" Issac stammered. "L-l-let's g-go!"

Rhythmi rose from the bed and left her room, holding Issac in her hands. Issac was frozen in place. His brilliant mind was too stunned to react properly. Issac stared at his best friend. True, he did say she had stunning inner beauty. But he'd be lying if he said her outer beauty wasn't impressive as well.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

A night passed by. It was morning again in no time. The top rangers went to the lab to check up on the smart blondes and their progress. They were tired but grinned proudly.

"Do I assume there's good news?" Wendy said.

"We finished!" Rhythmi yawned.

"The cure is ready to go. All we need to do is to get into position, have Rhythmi activate the machine and the laser beams shot out will correct the problem." Issac informed.

"What are we waiting for?" Sven questioned.

"FIRE IT UP!" Keith whoop'd.

Issac chuckled. "There's red tape marks on the ground. Just stand on one and we'll begin momentarily."

Kate and Wendy carefully set their partners down onto the ground. The guys went over to the tape and stood right in the center of the marked areas. Issac managed to climb down, joining them.

"We're ready, Rhythmi." He said.

Rhythmi gave a nod. She typed something into the computer before pressing a button. The glass barrier held a new electric sphere. However, this one was purple instead of green. And the glass had a laser gun on the top of it. The purple electric sphere was being absorbed into this gun. There was a small 'whirrrr' sound for a minute or two. Everyone watched as the laser gun was starting to charge up.

One! Two! Three!

Three purple shots were fired. At blinding speed, they hit all three guys at once. Keith cried out in agony again as his body was electrified. This was the exact same feeling from when he was being shrunk by that green sphere. There came that burning feeling along with some tingling. Next were uncontrollable muscle jerks and twitches. And…yep. There it was. The dizzy, disoriented feeling hit his brain. Keith fell back into unconsciousness again.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"Keith? Keith, please wake up!"

The redhead moaned. His eyes flickered open as the light made his head ache and vision temporarily blurry. When he adjusted, Keith saw Kate and her big blue eyes. Made him forget about the pain instantly.

"Keith? Are you ok?" Kate asked.

"Kate…" Keith reached his hand to caress her face.

Kate blushed. How cute! Keith glanced at the hand he used to caress Kate's cheek for a second but did a double take. His hand wasn't tiny. Keith gasped. He sat up straight to check everything out. The room wasn't so big anymore. And he was taller than Kate!

"I'm myself again!" Keith joyfully exclaimed, hugging Kate.

Issac and Sven were beginning to wake up. Rhythmi and Wendy were by their side, tending to them. Both guys were getting over the initial soreness that came with the laser fire. Soon enough, they discovered the laser worked and celebrated. Finally the whole ordeal was over!

"So Kate, I was thinking…." Keith started to say.

"A dangerous activity for you." Kate playfully teased.

Keith chuckled. "I was thinking, since we aren't scheduled for patrol today, I could take you out on date two. We'll go to this malt shop or maybe see if Go-Rock Quad is playing in the park."

"As long as I'm with you, I'll go anywhere." Kate said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Love you. It's good to have you normal sized."

"Love you too, sweetheart." Keith murmured. "And man is it good to be back to normal. That way, you fit in my arms."

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

The top rangers left the lab after making sure the laser beam had completely worked with no adverse side effects. Kate and Keith were glued to each others side, looking very lovey dovey. Sven had a feeling something was going on between them. About time they got together. It was a surprise Rhythmi didn't catch this and say 'I told you so' a thousand times.

"Hey Sven." Wendy spoke up. "You have a deal to uphold."

"Oh?" Sven focused his attention on his partner.

"Remember last night?" Wendy questioned.

Both left the Union, walking outside. They were going down the stairs of a cliff and going towards the river nearby. Not bad weather. Sven expected Wendy to notice and say it was perfecting flying conditions. That is when this conversation was done.

"You said when you'd get back to normal, you'd tell me who this mystery girl of yours is." Wendy reminded.

"Didn't think you were so interested in that." Sven commented.

"Hey, it's hard for me to believe. I mean you like this girl so much, you'd give up dozens of hot girls for a long term relationship." Wendy remarked.

"She's worth it." Sven responded. "But I think it's better if I showed you who she is rather than just tell you."

"Show or tell, whatever." Wendy sighed.

Sven took Wendy and guided her closer to the river. They kneeled down in the grass beside the water.

"Look in the river and tell me what you see." Sven instructed.

Wendy did so. She looked for a moment, then frowned.

"I see water. Lots and lots of water. Are you dating the river or something?" Wendy sarcastically asked.

"Look closer." Sven told her.

The green haired girl rolled her eyes and looked again. She took some time to study the river.

"All I see is the water and my reflection." Wendy said.

Sven smirked. He waited for his partner to get it. Sure enough, after a minute, her brain seemed to snap into place and she was getting the message.

"Hold up." Wendy turned to face him. "Are you saying…?"

Before she could finish the end of that sentence, Sven leaned in and kissed her lips. Wendy didn't move or push away. She stared at him with big eyes as her cheeks were the slightest pink color. It was as if Sven made her freeze up completely. Soon enough, Sven drew back and opened his eyes, seeing his ranger partner was taken aback.

"I've been wanting to do that for years." Sven said, tipping his hat.

Wendy shook her head. She stared at Sven, studying him. The piercing green eyes seemed to hold a different spark to them this time. No sarcasm would be fired off nor would there be a slap to the face. It looked as though Sven had captured her interest. And quite possibly, her heart too.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Issac remained in the lab. He had to clean up the laser and any mess that might've taken place. Then he'd have to report that the green electric sphere had disappeared. Not sure if it would be wise to mention the whole 'shrinking' thing. That would be hard for anyone else to believe.

"Issac, I picked up all those papers for you. And there were some books knocked over so I got those too." Rhythmi said.

"Thank you." Issac mumbled, trying hard not to look at her.

He was still jumpy after yesterday and that kiss. If the genius even dared to look at Rhythmi, he'd freeze up again. Before the shrinking accident, Issac admitted he had more than a slight crush on the operator. After that kiss? This strange emotion blossomed. It seized the genius completely and was making him feel for Rhythmi stronger than ever.

Rhythmi placed the papers and books on the table. In a moment, she'd go back to work as an operator. Or was today her day off? Probably. If it was, she might go into town and some other guy would try to get her out for a date. Then poor Rhyth would be crushed all over again. Issac didn't want that to happen.

"Rhythmi?" He cleared his throat.

"Yes?" Rhythmi responded.

"I…I was wondering." Issac gulped. "T-there's this café in downtown Pueltown that opened up recently. I was going to check it out after I finished up here. W-would you like to come with me?"

Silence. After a moment, Issac heard footsteps coming up to him.

"Issac? Are you asking me out on a date?" Rhythmi asked.

Issac hesitated. "Maybe…?"

Rhythmi smiled. She leapt into Issac's arms and wrapped herself in a big hug. Issac turned red again at the action.

"Of course I'll go out with you! You're intelligent, sweet and you care about me!" Rhythmi told him. "I would never turn down the chance to spend time with you, Issac."

"Y-you mean it?" Issac whispered.

"Yep!" Rhythmi turned pink. "Actually I kinda liked you back in ranger school. I just didn't think a sciency guy like you would want to hang out with an operator like me."

Issac smiled gently. He was overcome with emotions and care for his best friend. It was a wonderful feeling to like Rhythmi but even better to know she liked him back.

"You think we can delay the cleanup until after our date?" Rhythmi requested.

"I wouldn't mind that at all." Issac agreed.

Hand in hand, the two smart blondes made their way from the lab and went off to Pueltown. Though being shrunk down to three inches wasn't fun, it did result in love. Not just for Issac but for all the guys. It just goes to show. Sometimes the best things come in small packages.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

**Chia: Next update should be coming up soon! Don't worry your little heads off, to those commenters who had previously asked concerning questions. Sky'll recover again. She just needed rest and to stop overworking herself. She never does listen to me…**

**YOU WERE THE ONE TO ENCOURAGED ME TO NOT SLEEP!**

**Chia: Look at that! She's already getting better! **


End file.
